We traveled to the McDonald Observatory to see the heavens on The Texas Bucket List.
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
Rio Grande River in Big Bend
Rio Grande River in Big Bend near Terlingua. Photo by Cornelia Leicht
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.
El Cosmico, Marfa
If you find yourself in Marfa looking for an interesting place to stay, check out El Cosmico. It's an out of this world stop on The Texas Bucket List that provides visitors with a unique place to lay...
Lake Balmorhea / San Solomon Springs by Drone
A look at a couple of the water holes in Balmorhea.
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...
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...
Marfa by Drone
A look at Marfa, Texas and the Presidio County Courthouse in the Big Bend Region of Texas.
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...
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.
Franklin Mountains
Franklin Mountains in El Paso looking Northwest from Hondo Pass and Eclipse St.
Davis Mountains in West Texas
The beautiful Davis Mountains in West Texas are often referred to as “the Alps of Texas.” Davis Mountains State Park is located in the foothills of the Davis Mountains only four miles...
Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend
Santa Elena Canyon, on the Rio Grande in southwestern Brewster County, is one of the most famous canyons in Big Bend National Park.
Flying Over Big Bend
Given it's 801,163 acre size, it's hard to comprehend all that is Big Bend.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
The world's largest coral reef.
Rio Grande River, Big Bend
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico–United States border. According to the...
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.
Fort Davis National Park
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...