My Western Texas roadtrip started after a sunrise walk to say goodbye to the south Texan beaches. I headed north along Highway 37 from Corpus Christi towards San Antonio. Not wanting to hit the city limits I turned west travelling through Charlotte, Hondo and Uvalde to enjoy some small town energy.
For my first night on the road I was planning to stop at Del Rio. Rather than a Walmart parking lot I decided Amisted National Recreation Area just north was the perfect spot. Camping with stunning scenery and a great walking trail for only $10 USD. I was thinking this was, perhaps, a two-night spot but the next morning I woke to overcast skies and rain. My weather app said it was sunny further west so I headed back on the road.
Travelling along Highway 90 I didn’t realize I was so close to the Mexican border until I saw a huge wall in the distance and lots of state patrol vehicles. It was a beautiful drive along this area of the highway.
Marathon, Texas
There were not a lot of free camping spots along this stretch of Highway 90. I finally found a spot on ioverlander in Marathon. What a gem! The tag line for the town is “Where Big Bend and Dark Skies Meet”. Marathon is an iconic part of the Big Bend experience it borders Big Bend National Park just 40 miles to the south and is the closest town to the Park’s north entrance. It is a small but enjoyable town of only 386 people.
According to ioverlander I was able to park on the main street. As I walked around I found a cute little French market, with lots a natural foods, some gluten-free products which I am always on the look out for and a little coffee shop in the back. The 2 block main street had quaint gift shops, another coffee shop and a haunted hotel which I explored.
Texas is full of haunted hotels but none are quite as unique as the historic Gage Hotel in Marathon. Why is the Gage Hotel haunted? Read more about why this hotel has people shivering in their shoes.
As the evening got darker the Christmas lights came on giving the town a lovely feel. It was a quiet night spent parked on the street with no ghosts appearing. It was zero degrees Celsius when I woke so headed out early.
Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park is located in southwest Texas along the Mexico border. It is a vast and remote wilderness with rugged beauty, diverse ecosystems and a rich cultural history. It is the largest National park in the United States covering 800,000 acres.
The park has desert, mountain and river ecosystems. The Chihuahuan Desert covers most of the park with arid conditions and unique plant life like cacti and yuccas. The Chisos Mountains located entirely within the park offer cooler temperatures, lush forests and hiking trails. The Rio Grande River forms the southern boundry of the park where you find the stunning canyons like Santa Elena Canyon.
It also has a rich cultural history with evidence of human habitation dating back thousands of years. Native American rock art, historic ranches and remnants of early homesteads can be found in the park. The area also played a role in early ranching and mining industries. The visitors center had tonnes of information.
Scenic Drives on my Western Texas Roadtrip
My first scenic drive in the park was through Chisos Mountains to Chisos Basin. It was 6 miles one way on a winding mountainous road. The road was well kept and busier than I anticipated. Lots of hiking trails were available which I did not do, still not really in hiking shape but I did enjoy a few shorter walks.
My second scenic roadtrip was along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. This was a 30 mile one way drive into Santa Elena Canyon. This canyon is 1500 feet high with the Rio Grande running through it. My pictures did not do justice to the huge expanse of the canyon and the beautiful desert views.
This is a beautiful, scenic and diverse park. I didn’t plan well and all the camping spots where booked. There is no boondocking allowed in the park so spent the night just outside the park limits at Terlingua. I will definitely be better prepared next time; book a few nights at one of the four campgrouds and take a rafting trip along the Rio Grande through the canyons.
Highway 170
I drove Highway 170 between Lajitas and Pesidio. This Western Texa roadtrip is known as one of the most scenic drives in Texas and it did not disappoint. I freaked out a bit at first as there was no cell service on this 2 1/2 hour journey.
It was a desolate remote area. The road twists and winds and has steep grades of up to 15% with stunning views. A few rustic campgrounds, glimpses of the Rio Grande, hoodoos, ghost town of Shafter and the occasional car.
I made it down to the flat plains and arrived safely in Marfa. Marfa is a small artist town. I found a rest stop just outside of town where I decided to stay as I was feeling tired and there was a rain storm coming. I had good cell service so was able to relax and get a little work done. The next day I explored this really quaint town.
Davis Mountain Loop
While touring around I bought a book of scenic drives in Texas and decided to do the Davis Mountain Loop which was just north of Marfa. This mountain range is less rugged than the Chisos in Big Bend and covered in grasses, oak, pine and juniper trees. Making the scenery quite different from my last few days but still stunning.
The loop was 74 miles starting in Fort Davis. Fort Davis is the highest town in Texas at 5050 feet. Passed through Davis Mountains State Park then up to McDonald Observatory. The road up to the observatory is at the summit of Mount Locke and is the highest state road in Texas. Unfortunately the observatory was closed but the views were still worth the drive.
Further along on the loop I had views of Mount Livermore, which is the second highest mountain in Texas. I was happy I found this loop with it’s stunning expansive vistas.
Highest Mountain in Texas
I continued on my Western Texas roadtrip to the highest mountain in Texas found in Guadalupe National Park. Guadalupe Peak is 8751 feet with a 8.5 mile hiking trail to the top. The first mountain I saw driving up was the prominent limestone cliff, El Capitan. It is a well known landmark visible from miles around.
There is no scenic drive through Guadalupe National Park other than the 21 mile drive through the pass. I stopped at the Pine Springs visitor center and took a short hike in McKittrick Canyon. Again I did not plan very well so there were no campsites available in the national park.
The ranger directed me to dispersed camping about 20 minutes down the road in New Mexico. This was the perfect spot to explore the Salt Basin Dunes and spend a few nights at the end of my Western Texas roadtrip before exploring Southern New Mexico.
There were so many stunning views and much diversity along this roadtrip. It is a place where visitors can explore dramatic landscapes, enjoy solitude, and connect with the natural world. There is so much more to explore and I will definitely come back to this area again.