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...
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
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...
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...
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.
Mount Livermore in the Davis Mountains
Pine forests in the Chihuahua Desert!
Flying Over Big Bend
Given it's 801,163 acre size, it's hard to comprehend all that is Big Bend.
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.
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...
Hwy 17 into Balmorhea State Park
Picturesque Highway 17 in West Texas. The road into Balmorhea State Park.
The Borderlands of Texas
Crowned with a sky so wide that it threatens to define infinity, the Big Bend region of Texas is situated roughly west of San Antonio, east of El Paso, and north of the mythic Rio Grande river. It...
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...
Lake Balmorhea / San Solomon Springs by Drone
A look at a couple of the water holes in Balmorhea.
Marfa Lights
If you are ever out in West Texas at night, you should spend an hour or two waiting for the “lights”. Native American residents knew about Marfa Mystery Lights long before the first...
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...
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...
Franklin Mountains
Franklin Mountains in El Paso looking Northwest from Hondo Pass and Eclipse St.
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...