How To Spend 4 Days in West Texas

My 4 Days in West Texas itinerary begins in the charming and quirky little town of Alpine and then takes you to the Davis Mountains for a night at the McDonald Observatory.  The following day, the small artsy town of Marfa gets a visit before arriving at Presidio.  This is where the epic “El Camino del Rio” scenic route starts.  Also known as the River Road, it is by far the most scenic drive in all of Texas.  You’ll drive it all the way to Lajitas and then through Terlingua, where ultimately you will end up in beautiful Big Bend National Park.

Where is “Real” West Texas/Where does it begin?

Ask 10 Texans and you will get 10 different answers. In my opinion, Real West Texas begins once you reach Fort Stockton. Some people take the panhandle outline and follow an imaginary line straight down to Mexico or they use the Pecos river as the geographical boundary. But no matter what your definition is, this sparsely populated and isolated area is the most alluring and scenic part of the state!

Getting there

There really isn’t an easy way to get to West Texas (or Big Bend). If you’re not from Texas, your best bet is to fly to El Paso and rent a car from there. There is an airport in Midland, Texas but very few airlines fly there. For those that live in Texas, it’s road trip time. Get those tires checked out, gas up your vehicle , and hit the road. Here are some drive times to Alpine from the biggest Texas cities:

• Houston – 8 hours
• Dallas – 7 hours
• San Antonio – 5 hours
• Austin – 6 hours
• Laredo – 6 hours
• Amarillo – 6 hours
• El Paso – 3 hours

When To Go – During a New Moon!

It goes without saying that Fall, Winter, and Spring are the ideal times of year to visit. I’ll go into detail about my summer visit shortly, but for the most part stick to those seasons. However, one thing that you must absolutely keep in mind is the lunar calendar and the moon phases! You have to plan your trip during a new moon. The West Texas night sky really is something to behold during this phase. Here is a farmer’s almanac so you can see when the new moons are for the upcoming months/years.

Our Journey – The planning

The planning for our trip actually began the previous August. I originally wanted to visit during those coveted seasons I mentioned earlier and stay at the Chisos Mountain Lodge inside Big Bend National Park. But because it is the only lodging located inside the park, reservations are very limited and hard to get in fall, winter, and spring. Even if you try a year out like I did! Except of course in the summer.

I found plenty of availability for July as most visitors stay away during the hottest months of the year. I then checked the moon phases and was pretty stoked that there was a new moon during my birthday weekend! That pretty much sealed the deal for me as I made the booking and then emailed my confirmation to one of my cousins and my buddy (the captain) to invite them as well. They both accepted and would each be making their very first trips to West Texas.

A few months later I would book our 2 main excursions for our trip. The McDonald Observatory Night Star Party and the all day river trip through the Santa Elena Canyon. With the outings booked for our Thursday – Sunday vacation, it was time to move on to the packing.

What to Pack – Getting prepared

West Texas and Big Bend National Park is very hot in the summer. Is it too hot to go to Big Bend National Park in July like we did? Absolutely not. It’s a dry heat and when you are coming from Houston (like we did) and deal with 100 degree/80% humidity days all summer, it will feel like a break. I recommend the following items to make your visit a success.

• Hat, Sunblock, shorts, and long sleeve shirts from breathable material to protect from the sun.
• Hiking boots for the trails and water shoes for the river.
• Folding chairs (no not the kind used in the viral Alabama Riverfront Brawl video 🤣) to sit and watch the sunset and stargaze.
• Ice chest for food and drinks
• Your own alcohol. If you bring bottles of wine, don’t forget the bottle opener!
• Red flashlights for nighttime.

Day 1 – Arrive in Alpine/Dinner/McDonald Observatory

We left Houston at 6 am and arrived into Alpine around 3:30 pm. The extra 1 1/2 hours was due to the obligatory stop at Buc-ees (mandatory, lol) and a couple of restroom breaks. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express just like we did on our last outing to Big Bend because we like the location and service. However, there are now some newer hotels that have been built and worth checking out as well.

After a nap, we refreshed and headed out for dinner. We chose the Spicewood Restaurant to try something new and it was the perfect example of not judging a book by it’s cover. From the outside it looks like a neighborhood icehouse where one goes to grab a cold beer after work. But on the inside and their outdoor patio, they have a real nice setup. Food and ambience are really good and I can easily imagine in the cooler months sipping on some wine by the fire pits. I’m sure it is a popular activity here.

McDonald Observatory – West Texas Night Sky!

The drive from Alpine to the McDonald Observatory is 45 minutes. It’s a slow, winding, and pretty drive up the Davis Mountains. The Star Watch parties start at 9:45 pm in the summertime and they ask that you be there 15 minutes early. I recommend showing up at least an hour and half early to enjoy the exhibits they have inside and the small theatre. This will also give you enough time to walk the grounds and take in the sunset which was at 9:01 pm during our visit.

The real fun begins once the sun starts disappearing over the horizon. Venus will be the first planet you’ll see visible then other planets and stars soon show themselves and when the last rays exit stage right, it’s showtime! Once the sky above us was full, our host wasted no time in starting the program.

After an introduction, a brief history of the observatory, and some clever canned lines, he pulled out his pointer and used the incredible west Texas night sky as his black board. Just imagine getting a constellation tour at the planetarium but you’re sitting in an outdoor amphitheater and you’re seeing thousands of stars in the sky.. That’s what it is like and it was worth every minute of that 9 hour drive!

Constellations, galaxies, stars, and Elon Musk satellites

The star watch guide was excellent, knowledgeable, and had a funny sense of humor. You’ll learn where the main constellations are located and how to find them. He also tells some interesting stories of certain ones and how they got their names and also points out galaxies that are far, far away 😆. All the main stars and planets are covered and you can tell that these guides love talking about the cosmos. Until ..

The Starlink satellite train made an unexpected appearance and stole the show! If you’ve never heard of this train, join the club because we didn’t know what the hell was happening. We were almost 1 hour into the program when out of nowhere we see a trail of what looks like stars moving across the sky. Maybe 20-25 following each other across the night sky. It was quite impressive and if I had just been outside my house looking up, I probably would have called in a UFO sighting, lol.

When the amphitheater part of the star watch party is over with, you will get a chance to look through the many telescopes that are set up at different viewing stations. All in all, this is great fun for the whole family no matter what age you are. One tip for you, bring and use some mosquito repellant. Will make the outdoor portion more enjoyable.

Day 2 – Marfa Prada/El Camino del Rio scenic drive/Big Bend National Park

After breakfast at the hotel, we all went to the grocery store in Alpine to get snacks, food to keep in our room for late night munchies, and more ice for our ice chests. I took my crew through the artsy town of Marfa and straight to the most famous storefront in west Texas, the Prada Marfa in the middle of nowhere. It was first installed in 2005 and became a hit with celebrities and photographers alike. Made famous by Beyonce and others, this art installation even made an appearance in a Simpsons episode!

But way before 2005, Marfa was put on the Hollywood map because it was the site of the 1956 epic Giant, which starred James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor. And before you get to Prada Marfa, there is a roadside tribute to the movie at the spot were part of the movie was filmed. It’s pretty neat and they even have country music playing with a speakers powered by solar panels. We pulled over and snapped pics and videos at both sites.

El Camino del Rio scenic drive

From Marfa we made a beeline to Presidio, right on the Texas/Mexico border. Texas’ most scenic drive starts here and it would be a new experience for all of us. Being a huge fan of road trips (see California and South Dakota drives), I had read in several publications that this one was the #1 route in my state, so I had to drive it! The 50 mile river road highway stretches to the town of Lajitas and is such a fun and dramatic drive (especially if you are a passenger!).

This picturesque drive hugs the Rio Grande river and is filled with elevation changes as you travel through canyons and rocky desert terrain. There are several overlooks and hiking trailheads along the route where you can stop and take in the impressive landscape. I really hated that is was so hot because if we had done this drive in any other season, we could have hiked some of the short trails.

You will travel through the entire southern part of Big Bend Ranch State park. I recommend spending a night or two here if you have the time. This is a pretty drive and extremely isolated. I don’t even think we saw other cars on the road the entire time we were on it. It ends in Lajitas and from there you will go through Terlingua and into Big Bend National Park.

Big Bend National Park – Chisos Mountain Lodge

The Chisos Mountains Lodge is pretty much located in the center of the park. It is also in the highest part, which is significantly cooler than all the other areas. We arrived just after 4 pm and were all ready to get a little siesta in before dinner. The rooms are clean and simple, but dated (this property is supposed to be torn down and rebuilt sometime in 2024). While the rooms were pretty basic, the views from our balcony were fantastic! This is what you’re paying for, views and location.

After checking in, everyone went to their rooms for some rest and we decided to meet for dinner at 7:30 at the lodge restaurant. The only thing on the agenda for this evening was drinks and stargazing. We had done enough driving the last 2 days so a night to let relax and chill was in order. But where would we post up after dinner to enjoy the night stars?

Watching the West Texas sunset and stargazing from the Chisos Mountain Lodge patio.

After dinner we converged on the restaurant patio to figure out where we would setup to watch the sunset and to stargaze well into the night. Then it dawned us, we’re in a good spot right where we were at! We had a nice large patio with tables and chairs, a great view towards the canyon window, and restroom access all night. With all boxes checked, the men went to retrieve the ice chests from the rooms and we settled in.

Just like the previous night, as soon as it gets past 10 pm, the stars come out in force with each passing hour. Even the starlink satellite train made another appearance. The beers were flowing, there was a cool evening wind blowing and everyone in our party of 12 were having a good time. My buddy’s wife was playing music on her speaker and the whole group wished me a happy birthday at the stroke of midnight! Like Ice Cube says in his song, I gotta say it was a good day.

Day 3 – Hot Springs Canyon River Tour & Hike/Window View Trail and West Texas nightcap

Originally I had booked the Santa Elena Canyon one day river trip but Big Bend River Tours had to rebook us to the Hot Springs Canyon instead. The reason for the change was due to low water levels at the Rio Grande. They do state on their website and on your confirmation emails that they can change final itinerary depending on the flow of the river. The tour company did a great job reaching out to me and the captain a couple of weeks before to advise us and ask if we were okay with the change. Also the final price was reduced.

We met up with the tour company at the Rio Grande Village store on the southeast side of the park. Here we were introduced to the other people joining our group and our guides. This is also your last chance to get additional snacks, drinks, etc. before you’re boarded on a van and taken to the launch site on the Rio.

Once there we were given instructions on safety, what to expect, and given a few minutes in the water to practice different rowing/paddling techniques. It felt like I was in camp all over again 😄. So one thing I forgot to mention, the general rule of thumb to float the Rio Grande in Big Bend is if the water level is high and/or flowing fast then rafts are used. If it is slow and low (cue the Beastie Boys song) like on our visit, then canoes are used.

West Texas Rio Grande Floating (Canoeing 😊)

The pace is steady and relaxing as you follow your guide down the Rio Grande towards the Hot Springs Canyon. During the first hour or so of the trip, people are still getting the hang of turning the canoe and maneuvering it around sand bars. Okay, it’s me, I’m people, lol. But then everyone gets the hang of it and the group stays together for the most part. The scenery slowly starts to change from low grassland type edges to rock formations and small hills as you get closer to the hot springs.

When you arrive at the Hot Springs area, the canoes are pulled to the waters edge and it’s lunchtime. You’ll eat at a little shaded oasis underneath palm trees. It’s literally a sack lunch and whatever additional food and snacks you brought. At this point you are given 2 choices on what you want to do for the next 1 1/2 hours. Take a hike to the top of a ridge that is close by or go into the hot springs and/or the Rio Grande.

The group split in half here. I was with the half that did the hike in the 100 degree sun. So lesson learned time. Please bring your hiking boots so you can change into them for this part of the tour. Water shoes are NOT meant for any type of hiking, especially this type of terrain! Man did we suffer on the hike up and down. Once the hike is over with, you meet up with the other half to cool down in the river. There is like 3 stops on the tour where you get in the water to cool down, just fyi.

Hot Springs Canyon River Tour end

From the Hot Springs the landscape is beautiful until the end. There’s even some areas of fast rapids that was fun to go through. I can imagine during periods of heavy flow, they would be pretty exciting to navigate. We arrived at the end by a canyon where the van and trailer were waiting for us. We were hot and tired but fulfilled. They dropped us off at the Rio Grande Village where we popped open some ice cold beers and had a couple while cracking jokes about what we had just gone through.

Window View Trail and West Texas nightcap

After showering and cleaning up, we all had dinner together and walked out to the Window View Trail to get our spot saved for the sunset and star viewing. The wives had wine while the fellas had cold beers. This night had a really nice breeze and after the day we had in the hot sun, it was very much appreciated. There was no reception and all cellphones were put up unless you were taking a pic, it was perfect.

The sunset from this location was impressive and that explains all the professional equipment and tripods we saw other guests setting up. After they got their pics, they left and we moved to the best spot on the trail and setup for the night. I can’t explain how soul enriching it is to enjoy this kind of evening with friends and family with a star filled sky as the backdrop. It was a very special birthday finish 💖.

Day 4 – Panther Junction visitor center/Drive home

Before you leave Big Bend National Park you should visit the Panther Junction visitor center (if you haven’t already) and pick up a USA National park passport book. If you already have one, you can get your stamp here. The staff and rangers at these visitor centers have an array of knowledge regarding the park and trails and there are some excellent maps, books, and souvenirs you can pick up as well.

Final thoughts and tips

• The distances in West Texas and Big Bend are vast. Just because it looks close by on the map, trust me, it isn’t. Plan accordingly.
• Texas troopers are always out day and night. My cousin got pulled over twice on this trip 🤣. I’ve been pulled over twice on previous trips. Be careful how you drive.
• Take a different route home to see different things.
• Stretch my itinerary to 7 days by adding some hiking trails.