There is a general lack of consensus regarding the boundaries that separate East Texas and West Texas. Granbury, Texas, one of the best small towns in Texas that sits on a lake. Welcome to your definitive list of what to do and see in West Texas. Description: This map shows cities, towns, counties, interstate highways, U.S. highways, state highways, rivers, lakes, airports, parks, forests, wildlife rufuges and points of interest in West Texas. The Texas Counties.net website acknowledges the variations, and includes 70 counties in its definition, based on the five principal metropolitan areas it contains: El Paso, Lubbock, Abilene, Midland/Odessa, and San Angelo.[5]. Give yourself at least three full days to explore the park; you’ll need it. Tucked into a quiet corner of west Texas, Marfa has gained notoriety in recent years for how utterly unexpected it is! The counties included in the West Texas region vary depending on the organization. One of the country’s least-visited national parks, the highly remote Guadalupe Mountains National Park combines majestic mountain wilderness with rugged desert terrain, and not to mention the world’s most extensive Permian fossil reef. Granbury is full of Texas history and one of the most charming small towns in Texas. Guadalupe Mountains National Park is home to Texas’ four highest peaks and 80 miles of hiking trails. Just a few miles from Fort Davis, Davis Mountains State Park offers a wonderful introduction to the Chihuahuan Desert. To the east of the Llano Estacado lies the “redbed country” of the Rolling Plains and to the south of the Llano Estacado lies the Edwards Plateau. This rustic, comfy, and altogether obscure resort has seven cabins (some with private tubs or showers), in addition to the communal hot springs that fill a spacious outdoor tub. The counties included in the West Texas region vary depending on the organization. A trip to visit small west Texas towns isn’t high on most people’s travel wish list. You’ll find some of the most unique wildlife in Texas here, too. For centuries, travelers have reported seeing these mysterious lights in the same spot just southeast of town—with no real explanation for where they come from. The Brazos Wind Farm near Fluvanna is one of many wind farms in West Texas. Best of all, it’s always free. With its geologically dramatic scenery—steep canyons, imposing rock formations, lushly forested mountains, and vast expanses of an undeveloped desert—there’s simply no overstating Big Bend’s natural beauty and biodiversity. Today, there's a sleek roadside viewing center where you can cozy up with a blanket and a hot toddy while keeping your eyes peeled for the strange, ghostly orbs that dance and shimmer on the horizon line. If it’s ghost towns you’re looking for, Stiles might be the place for you. Explore the Funky Art Towns and Desert Beauty of West Texas It’s a hell of a drive, but well worth the journey. You can also search for cities 100 miles from West, TX (or 50 miles or 30 miles). Hill. The huge influx of workers to tiny towns meant pop-up trailer parks, now abandoned, crowding the town. Click to see large. The impressively grand Gage Hotel in Marathon is the utmost in laid-back desert luxury lodging. Trek to the top of Mount Livermore, the tallest point in the Davis Mountains, which sits over 8,000 feet up in the clouds. 12 Stunning National Parks, Monuments, and Preserves to Visit in Texas, The Best Outdoor Things to Do in West Texas, Big Bend Ranch State Park: The Complete Guide, Take a Road Trip Across Texas on the Scenic Highway 90, The Most Beautiful Natural Features in Texas, Weather in Texas: Climate, Seasons, and Average Monthly Temperature, Tripsavvy uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. You’d better believe it—Balmorhea State Park is one-of-a-kind (and the biggest spring-fed pool in the world, in fact). There are three ecosystems in the park: the Chihuahuan Desert, the Canyon Interiors, and Alpine Areas. West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas. Langtry – The Only Law West of the Pecos. West, the first postmaster of the city. The Marfa lights have baffled people for over a hundred years, with some people believing the lights are the spirits from the past and some believing it’s a natural phenomenon. West Texas does not have major league sports teams. The northern parts of West Texas (notably the Texas Panhandle) and the higher elevations of the mountain ranges of the Trans-Pecos region are prone to occasionally heavy snowfall during winter, while snow is less common in other areas of West Texas. Walter Prescott Webb, American historian and geographer, suggested that the 98th meridian separates East and West Texas;[2] Texas writer A.C. Greene proposed that West Texas extends west of the Brazos River.[3]. : 32.7% (4th best) … Out-of-town travelers often bypass Alpine en route to artsy Marfa or Big Bend National Park, but this charming frontier town deserves your full attention. Everyone and their … West Texas Towns You Need to Know About. Redford & the Lost Mission of El Polvo. Fort Davis, with its frontier cabins, museum, and nearby state park, is one of the coolest places you can visit in the Lone Star State. If you're planning a road trip or exploring the local area, make sure you check out some of these places to get a feel for the surrounding community. Located on a 340-acre tract of desert land in Marfa that includes abandoned U.S. Army artillery sheds, Chinati was the creation of Donald Judd, an artist who essentially transformed many of Marfa’s downtown buildings with his permanent installations (along with those of his contemporaries, Dan Flavin and John Chamberlain). In the center of this tiny … This is one of the most beautiful drives in the entire country—skirting the southern border of West Texas, this stretch of FM-170 takes you through the splendor of Big Bend Ranch State Park, with the high point (literally) being the top of a pass with stomach-churning views of the Rio Grande spooling out below. The high altitudes in the mountains house conifer forests that you’d never expect to find in West Texas. "West of the Pecos" has become a metaphor for the universe of Westerns. This sparkling blue, high-desert oasis in the Davis Mountains is fed by nearby San Solomon Springs, the largest spring in the surrounding area. (This bustling community also has regular live music and theatre productions, a weekly farmer’s market, and more; be sure to check the events calendar before you go.). Hill, R.T. 1887. The sheer beauty of this area (nicknamed the “Texas Alps”)—vast grasslands, stark mountains, and lush, tree-studded woodlands—must be seen to be believed. Nothing beats a soak in Balmorhea, especially on a hot day; these aquamarine waters (which are populated by fish, turtles, and other aquatic creatures) stay between 72 and 76 degrees, year-round. Arena Professional Soccer League began play. Marble Fall is another fun town to visit, with stunning scenery and access to Texas vineyards. % Undergrad Pop. Pumpville – Railroad Ghost Town. River Road. Go back to see more maps of Texas. Once part of the rowdy "Old West," it is rumored a gunfight ultimately "killed" Helena when a … We started and ended our trip on the very west tip of Texas in El Paso. Overall SnackAbility 8 Population: 110,782. Indianola – One Time Port City. Marfa, Texas, a city with less than 2,000 people, but that's exactly what has made this little town so famous.The 2005 Prada Marfa exhibit is a one-room, stucco replica of a real Prada store designed by artist duo Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset. Trinidad, Co lorado. Located inside a former Greyhound station, the EPMA houses a permanent collection of over 7,000 works from the Byzantine era to the present, including Baroque and Renaissance masterpieces from Van Dyck, Botticelli, and Canaletto. Cochran, M., Lumpkin, J. and Heflin, R. 1999. In 2019, the West Texas Rumbleweeds of the U.S. Driving the legendary River Road at least once should be at the top of any Texas bucket list, not just a West Texas bucket list. Another part of West Texas is the Llano Estacado, a vast region of high, level plains extending into Eastern New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle. Junior hockey is also present in the region, with the Odessa Jackalopes of the Tier II North American Hockey League. College Station, TX. The park receives very few visitors, especially when compared to its flashier neighbor, Big Bend National Park—in fact, you’ll likely be one of just a handful of hikers during your time here. Texas is the second largest make a clean breast in the joined States by both area and population. Quite possibly the most remote resort in the state, Chinati Hot Springs provides the perfect getaway when you need to soak up some desert scenery, sleep under a blanket of stars, and chill out (or heat up, rather) in natural hot springs backdropped by the majestic Chihuahuan Mountains. Pumpjacks, like this one south of Midland, are a common sight in West Texas oil fields. And yet, no trip to West Texas is complete without coming here. El Paso is located in one of the largest deserts in North America, the Chihuahuan Desert, and the city sits right along the border with its neighboring international city, Juarez. West: McLennan: Westbrook: Mitchell: West Columbia: Brazoria: West Lake Hills: Travis: … Here, time stalls as you stroll the dusty streets, peruse art galleries and shops, check out the colorful murals downtown, and, of course, stop in for some cowboy cuisine at the Reata. One of the creepiest towns in Texas is Marfa, home to some of the most unusual paranormal light displays in the country. Marfa. Easily one of the most special areas in the country, West Texas is brimming with exciting cultural attractions, quirky, timeworn towns, and an incredible abundance of natural beauty. [4] The Trans-Pecos lies within the Chihuahuan Desert, and is the most arid portion of the state. The portion of West Texas that lies west of the Pecos River is often referred to as "Far West Texas" or the "Trans-Pecos", a term first introduced in 1887 by Texas geologist Robert T. Except for the Trans-Pecos region, West Texas has become well known as a stronghold for conservative politics. West Texas is often subdivided according to distinct physiographic features. El Paso also hosts the El Paso Chihuahuas, a AAA baseball team and Midland hosts the Midland RockHounds, a double-A baseball team. West is a city in McLennan County, Texas, United States. Beautiful windows over rusted doors of the chapel, next to a red brick paved road lined with pine trees along side the church. Terlingua is a former abandoned mining town (which is where the “ghost” part comes in). Synder is a small West Texas town with a population of 11,000 (in 2019) with a Median Household Income of $56,585 and a Median Home Value of $84,300. Tom Baker/Shutterstock. No consensus exists on the boundary between East Texas and West Texas. Some of the smaller West Texas cities and towns include: Alpine, Andrews, Anthony, Brownfield, Canutillo, Canyon, Coyanosa, Crane, Dalhart, Fort Davis, Fabens, Fort Bliss, San Elizario, Fort Stockton, Hale Center, Hereford, Iraan, Kermit, Lamesa, Levelland, Littlefield, Marathon, Marfa, McCamey, Mertzon, Monahans, Ozona, Pampa, Pecos, Horizon City, Post, Rankin, Seminole, Slaton, Snyder, Sweetwater, and Van Horn. [b] However, since 2000 this region has swung very rapidly towards the Republican Party due to its population's intransigent opposition to the liberal social policies of the Democratic Party[8] and by 2016 has nearly the same Cook PVI as the Panhandle. [7] This irrigation, and water taken out farther north for the needs of El Paso and Juarez, Mexico, has reduced the once mighty Rio Grande to a stream in some places, even dry at times. Some of the most heavily Republican counties in the United States are located in the region. West, TX Housing Market These small towns in Texas are among the safest in the state, and that’s why they make our list: Justine Harrington is a writer based in Austin, Texas, where she covers topics spanning travel, food & drink, lifestyle, culture, social advocacy, and the outdoors. Geographically located in the South Central region of the country, Texas shares borders taking into consideration the U.S. states of Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, supplementary Mexico to the west, and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Len, and … The town’s name derives from the nearby military fort named after Robert F Stockton, a United States commodore who, in the Mexican-American War, aided the capture of California. One of the world’s most well-known observatories, McDonald has five research telescopes of various sizes, including the 433-inch Hobby-Eberly, one of the world's largest optical telescopes. … Sun-scorched and absolutely sublime, Guadalupe attracts hardcore hikers for whom rocky, mountainous ascents and unadulterated solitude are all part of the adventure. Mobeetie – Panhandle Mother City. The Rolling Plains and the Edwards Plateau subregions act as transitional zones between eastern and western Texas. By Amanda Cobra. If you’d prefer to do a shorter hike, Closed Canyon and the Cinco Tinajas Loop can both be done in a day. (It’s also just a 40-minute drive from Big Bend National Park.). If you’re up for it, the Rancherias Canyon Trail is a challenging three-day hike that cuts through the Chihuahuan Desert, dipping into several small canyons and cresting the ridge of the Bofecillos Mountains. The famed Starlight Theatre is the centerpiece of Terlingua, the quirky West Texas “ghost town” located 12 miles from the Mexican border. While it was a … Fort Stockton of West Texas developed as a town around Comanche Springs, one of the greatest sources of spring water in the state. Established along the Santa Fe Trail in the 1860s, Trinidad still has a historic … "Fastest draw west of the Pecos" and similar superlatives are a cliche, and the title character of Chisum observed "There’s no law west of Dodge, and no God west of the Pecos”. A Panhandle town in Texas that is known as the gateway to the beautiful Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Canyon is unlike… As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,807. What used to be the former Chisos Movie Theater, the Starlight is where everyone in town comes to have a beer, chow down on Tex-Mex food, and enjoy the sounds of live bluegrass and country tunes. It’s just a little taste of old, easy to miss beauty in the middle of this little town. Major industries include livestock, petroleum and natural gas production, textiles such as cotton, grain, and because of very large military installations such as Fort Bliss, the defense industry. What are the most unique towns in Texas? Though it may seem cheesy, trying to catch a glimpse of the Marfa Lights is a crucial part of the West Texas experience. It might seem unlikely that a Prada-themed art exhibit would exist in the middle of nowhere, a.k.a. Helena. If your idea of a great getaway is going off-the-grid, Terlingua is the ghost town for you. Published on 7/21/2020 at 12:04 PM. Local towns near West, TX. This page will help you find a list of the nearest surrounding towns, villages, cities nearby or within a 45 mile distance (72.41 km) of West (Texas) to the north, south, east, or west of West; typically within a one to two hour commute or drive. As of 2018, the West Texan economy was in a prosperous economic period, which has been described as the "West Texas oil boom".[9][10]. Photography by Deb Snelson / Getty Images, en route to artsy Marfa or Big Bend National Park. Terlingua. Home to the smallest Prada store in the world (though it is never open–it’s actually an art installation), several works by Andy Warhol, and several other quirky works of art, Marfa is incredibly entertaining to visit and one of the most unique small towns in Texas. The city is located in the north-central part of Texas, approximately 70 miles (110 km) south of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, 20 miles north of Waco and 120 miles north of Austin, the state's capital. Built in 1927 by acclaimed architect Henry Trost, this 45-room hotel is more than just a place to lay your head at night; it’s a historic destination in its own right. Instead, the region has college teams such as Texas Tech Red Raiders, UTEP Miners, and Abilene Christian University Wildcats, which play in NCAA Division I, and NCAA Division II teams of the West Texas A&M Buffaloes, the Texas–Permian Basin Falcons, and the Lubbock Christian Chaparrals and Lady Chaps. The Panhandle and several counties in the Midland-Odessa area were some of the first parts of Texas to abandon the state's "Solid South" Democratic roots; nine counties[a] have not supported a Democrat for president since 1948. Located about 45 minutes southwest of Fort Worth, Granbury is best known for the great recreational lake that the town is located around, but the lake isn’t Granbury’s only draw. [1] While most Texans understand these terms, no boundaries are officially recognized and any two individuals are likely to describe the boundaries of these regions differently. "Tough to get here, tough to explain, but once you get here, you get it," say residents of Marfa, … Driving through Paducah, Texas. The highest point in Texas (at 8,751 feet), Guadalupe Peak, can be found here, along with the next three highest points in the state. Stiles. Nestled in the foothills of the Davis Mountains, Alpine has a decidedly low-key vibe, and that’s exactly what we love about it. Driving the legendary River Road at least once should be at the top of … West has been recognized as the “Czech Heritage Capital of Texas” and “home of the official Kolache of the Texas Legislature”. Former U.S. President George W. Bush spent most of his childhood in West Texas. By using Tripsavvy, you accept our. This is a list of smaller local towns that surround West, TX. Much of West Texas has rugged terrain, including many small mountain ranges, while most parts of the state are at or near sea level. Jericho Gap – Stuck in the Mud. Published on 5/12/2016 at 12:05 AM. Visitors will find many local shops and bakeries displaying the Czech culture that is so much a part of the people in this small town. It is named after T.M. We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 565, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Texas. At the beloved Star Parties, visitors are guided through the cosmos by one of the observatory’s (very knowledgeable) staffers and are even allowed to look through the telescopes. Like Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Big Bend National Park is one of the most remote and least-visited national parks. Fort Bliss is the number one employer in the El Paso region. West Texas, Big Bend Country travel guide to towns, cities, ghost towns, state parks: history, landmarks, attractions, trips, drives, photos, hotels, and much more more. Texas is the second largest state in the allied States by both area and population. The Rolling Plains to the east remained Democratic for substantially longer: although Walter Mondale's 1984 campaign lost Texas by 27.50%, he won five counties in this region. Although small, the El Paso Museum of Art is an utter delight. A giant spring-fed pool in the middle of the desert? West Texas is a loosely defined part of the U.S. state of Texas, generally encompassing the arid and semi-arid lands west of a line drawn between the cities of Wichita Falls, Abilene, and Del Rio. Of course, no town in … Lela – Mother Road Ghost Town. And if you really want to get an off-grid experience, the Davis Mountains Preserve is as wild as it gets out. Best Places to Live in West, Texas Small city / college town - East-central Texas along I-35, 100 miles south of Dallas. Amarillo hosts another double-A baseball team, the Amarillo Sod Poodles. It’s a truly surreal sight, where large-scale minimalist art meets vast Texan skies and desert. The boom brought prosperity to West Texas towns, but it did not come without costs. October, April and May are the most pleasant months in West, while July and August are the least comfortable months. Yet our spring trip to discover Big Bend National Park took us through three unique west Texas towns that are well worth a visit – Marfa, Marathon and Terlingua. The counties included are Andrews, Bailey, Borden, Brewster, Brown, Callahan, Castro, Cochran, Coke, Coleman, Comanche, Concho, Crane, Crockett, Crosby, Culberson, Dawson, Deaf Smith, Dickens, Eastland, Ector, El Paso, Fisher, Floyd, Gaines, Garza, Glasscock, Hale, Haskell, Hockley, Howard, Hudspeth, Irion, Jeff Davis, Jones, Kent, Kimble, King, Knox, Lamb, Loving, Lubbock, Lynn, Martin, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Midland, Mitchell, Motley, Nolan, Parmer, Potter, Pecos, Presidio, Randall, Reagan, Reeves, Runnels, Schleicher, Scurry, Shackelford, Stephens, Sterling, Stonewall, Sutton, Taylor, Terrell, Terry, Throckmorton, Tom Green, Upton, Val Verde, Ward, Winkler, and Yoakum. By Hayden Bernstein. Nearing That of Blacks to Democrats', "$9.5 Billion Purchase by Concho Is Latest Sign of West Texas Oil Boom", "Boom in West Texas oil patch lifts wages, prices", Public domain images of the Llano Estacado and West Texas, National Register of Historic Places Sites, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=West_Texas&oldid=1001644777, Pages using infobox settlement with no coordinates, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 20 January 2021, at 16:55. West Texas receives much less rainfall than the rest of Texas and has an arid or semi-arid climate, requiring most of its scant agriculture to be heavily dependent on irrigation. In this fabled region of the Lone Star State, you'll find an eclectic former ghost town, two stunningly beautiful national parks (and several state parks), natural hot springs, world-class art, and an altogether otherworldly landscape that, in many places, feels more akin to the moon than Planet Earth. The topography and geology of the Cross Timbers and surrounding regions in Northern Texas. These bubbling waters come out of the earth at 109 degrees and are said to cure all kinds of ailments and aches. For a uniquely West Texan treat, plan to attend a Star Party at the McDonald Observatory. Jefferson. A small town in East Texas, Jefferson is a great place to relax and unwind. West Texas counties voting Republican at every election since 1952 comprise, West Texas Plains "Bible Belt" counties voting for Mondale in 1984 were, Lubbock Christian Chaparrals and Lady Chaps, "Texas Could Look Increasingly Like West Texas, Climate Study Says", 'Demographic Shift: Southern Whites' Loyalty to G.O.P. Map of West Texas. The Texas Counties.net website acknowledges the variations, and includes 70 counties in its definition, based on the five principal metropolitan areas it contains: El Paso, Lubbock, Abilene, Midland/Odessa, and San Angelo. West Texas has become notable for its numerous wind turbines producing clean and alternative electricity. You might say that the Chinati Foundation is the coolest art museum in Texas. However, a small but vibrant community resides here today—just under 60 permanent residents, to be exact. Hutchinson County Extinct Towns, Ghost Towns & Company Camps. West … Former silver mine in West Texas : Sherwood: Irion One of Texas' best former courthouses: Shumla: Val Verde: Once a railroad track construction camp: Sprayberry: Midland: Not on the map: Stiles 10-1-18 … All three west Texas towns had much more to offer than their small populations would suggest. More of Paducah. Safest Rural Towns in Texas Safety plays a large factor when deciding where to live. Hiking in Big Bend Ranch State Park is an outdoor lover’s dream come true. We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which, there were a lot - 565 to be exact.