Established in 1854, Fort Davis was important in guarding and establishing America’s western frontier. Troops stationed at this historic military post served to protect emigrants, families...
West Texas
West Texas is Big Bend. Sandwiched between Mexico and New Mexico, the area integrates Hispanic culture into the American mix. The Pecos and the Rio Grande rivers are just two of the natural attractions in this part of the state, the latter forming a natural border between Texas and Mexico. In Big Bend National Park, one of the largest national parks in the United States, guests can hike, float on commercial float trips on the Rio Grande, camp and birdwatch.
The largest center in the region is El Paso, a city with easy access to its sister city of Juarez, Mexico. Attractions in El Paso include Fort Bliss, the Ysleta, Socorro and San Elizario missions, and the El Paso Museum of Art. Other areas of interest in this region include the Amistad National Recreation Area, Guadalupe Mountains National Park and the city of Del Rio.
Map of West Texas Points
Things to See & Do in West Texas
Davis Mountains Scenic Drive
TX 118 Fort Davis to I-10, Van Horn
The Rim at Chilicote Ranch
View looking Southwest from The Rim at Chilicote Ranch. Somewhere in the valley below runs the Rio Grande, separating Texas in the foreground from Mexico in the background. Near Valentine, Texas...
Flying Over Big Bend
Given it's 801,163 acre size, it's hard to comprehend all that is Big Bend.
West Texas Red Clay
Red clay derives its color from iron oxide, and is usually created through the breakdown of rocks in lower substrates. Red clay is technically a subsoil, and it is usually found only where true...
Landscapes of the Davis Mountains
The Davis Mountains, originally known as Limpia Mountains, are a range of mountains in West Texas, located near Fort Davis and named in honor of Jefferson Davis, an American politician.
Balmorhea State Park in Toyahvale
Balmorhea State Park was constructed by the CCC in the early 1930s to put folks to work during the Depression.
Rio Grande River in Big Bend
Rio Grande River in Big Bend near Terlingua. Photo by Cornelia Leicht
Mount Livermore in the Davis Mountains
Pine forests in the Chihuahua Desert!
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center, Fort Davis
In 1978, the board and supporters of the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute purchased 507 acres of rolling grassland, oak-studded hills, and shady canyon springs in the foothills of the Davis...
SH 118 in West Texas
State Highway 118, or SH 118, is a 155.3-mile state highway in the U.S. state of Texas that runs from Big Bend National Park north to Kent and passes through the towns of Study Butte, Alpine...
Lost Mine Trail, Big Bend
Legend of the Lost Mine Of the many romantic legends which abound through the West, few match the Lost Mine story from which the peak takes its name. Is it true? Did the mine exist? Or was it a...
Hiking on the North Franklin Peak in El Paso
Our friend over at El Paso Hiking shared his video of a March hike up to North Mount Franklin Peak in the Franklin Mountains State Park, El Paso.
Marfa
Marfa is a city in the high desert of the Trans-Pecos in far West Texas, located between the Davis Mountains and Big Bend National Park. It is the county seat of Presidio County.
Marfa, Texas: There’s No Place Like Here
Here's a neat place to visit: Take a trip to the West Texas Chihuahuan Desert, where the road-side town of Marfa is an oasis for everything from stark cubes to crewelwork.
Lake Balmorhea / San Solomon Springs by Drone
A look at a couple of the water holes in Balmorhea.
Trent at Sunset
Trent, on Interstate Highway 20 twenty-three miles west of Abilene in northwestern Taylor County, was established in 1881 and served as a halfway station on the Texas and Pacific Railway between...
Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park in Texas.