While tripping to civilization is great, sometimes you must answer the call of the desert and trip to the farthest reaches of Texas. Big Bend National Park sits on the banks of the Rio Grande River where Texas and Mexico collide into a magical place where time slows down and the civilized world fades into a natural wonderland.
This “wild and scenic” river winds for 118 miles around the park acting as its southern border. It’s known for rough canyons and abandoned vistas. All along the way are amazing stops. My favorite is the Boquillas Hot Springs that used to be a tourist resort but is now a bubbling spring that flows into the ruins of the old camp. It’s gotta be the most historic natural hot tub in Texas. On the hike there you’ll find pictographs (ancient rock paintings) and petroglyphs (ancient rock carvings). There are also ruins nearby from the old 1914 resort. It’s amazing to find such a natural beauty that is both relaxing and historic!
Another must-stop is Santa Elena Canyon. It’s breathtaking and we’re definitely worth trekking to. If you’ve got your passport, don’t miss a trip to Boquillas, Mexico. It’s open, safe and depends on park tourists to stay healthy.
Terlingua
Physically this desert town sits at the edge of Texas, but metaphysically it’s on a whole ‘nother plane. The vibe of Terlingua is unexplainable, mixing the weirdness of Austin, the art culture of Marfa and great abandon of the Chihuahuan Desert to form an amazing place to disappear from the rest of the world.
Driving into town you’ll likely wonder, “Where am I and why do people live here?” So to learn more about the history of town, visit the Terlingua Cemetery. Though it just looks like a bunch of old graves and wooden crosses, it tells the story of the once booming mercury mining town. You’ll even seen the graves from the 1918 flu epidemic that wiped out a huge percentage of the population.
Join the locals and enjoy a beer on “The Porch” in front of the Terlingua Trading Company. Besides being the town hangout spot, inside this shop you’ll also find a ton of products as eclectic as the town, itself. We’re talking roadrunner statues, wedding skeleton figurines and more!
The must-stop is the Starlight Theater - which used to be just four adobe walls with nothing but the stars as the ceiling (hence the name…) Though it now has a roof, it’s still a rockin’ place to spend your evening enjoying handmade unique dishes like grilled quail, chicken fried wild boar and of course, good ol’ Terlingua chili. You can even say “howdy” to Clay Henry, a stuffed billy goat that was once the mayor of nearby Lajitas, Texas. Once he died, they stuffed him and put in the Starlight so he can still hang out with the folks of Terlingua
To cap your night, head underground to the local hangout and first bar in town La Kiva (which literally means “the meeting place”). In a cave with stone walls and even a few stalactites, it’s a cozy place to share a few beers with your buddies.
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