One Of America's Most Scenic Drives Offers Miles Of Desert Mountain Views In Texas
As the largest state in the contiguous United States, Texas has quite a varied landscape. While its northern sections are part of the Great Plains, you'll find that its southernmost regions feature rocky and rolling hills more akin to the deserts of New Mexico or Arizona. Of course, Big Bend National Park is an amazing place to see this grassland-meets-mountain terrain, but a beloved scenic drive further west offers these landscapes too.
Farm to Market Road 170 runs just barely north along the Rio Grande, a river which also forms Texas' border with Mexico. 51 miles of this highway make up the El Camino del Rio, also known as River Road, which frequently makes lists of the most scenic drives in the U.S. The western end of El Camino del Rio is the town of Presidio, just 60 miles south of Marfa (one of America's coolest desert towns) and the eastern end is Lajitas, a town 20 miles from Big Bend National Park's Maverick Entrance. Big Bend Ranch State Park occupies much of the space in between. El Camino del Rio is fairly winding in some parts, but this is actually a good thing because it helps you remember to slow down and enjoy the Chihuahuan Desert views.
Drive through Big Bend Ranch State Park or book a campsite
Presidio is right on the U.S.-Mexico border and the town's Welcome to Texas sign is right near the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's. Whether this is the start or end to your El Camino del Rio road trip, the welcome sign a fun place to snap a few pictures. Just outside of Presidio on FM 170 is Fort Leaton State Historic Site. This extremely well-preserved complex was a trading post during the 1800s and retains much of its appearance from that era.
Fort Leaton marks the western entrance of Big Bend Ranch State Park. This underrated Texas state park has scenery similar to Big Bend National Park, but with less crowds. While you can enjoy the desert mountain filled vistas by driving through it, there are also campgrounds accessible from FM 170 for an extended adventure. What makes staying overnight here so special is the fact that Big Bend Ranch is among the best places to stargaze in Texas. Its remote location has minimal light pollution, making the stars shine brightly in the wide open desert sky. Reserve campsites online and get a permit at Fort Leaton or the Barton Warnock Visitor Center. Remember, this park is quite off the grid. Campgrounds don't have restrooms, RV electrical and water hookups, or dump stations.
Float down the Rio Grande or hike through a slot canyon
A stop at Big Bend Ranch State Park will allow you to get out onto water of the Rio Grande. Commercial outfitters serving the park provide kayaks, canoes, rafts, and even guided float trips. Outfitters include Far Flung Outdoor Center and Big Bend Boating and Hiking Company, both in Terlingua. A trip along the river definitely shows off the park's pristine rocky scenery, but the beloved Closed Canyon must be seen on foot. This 1.4 mile round trip hike winds through a narrow slot canyon formed by a stream of water, which eroded the huge Colorado Mesa into two sections. Standing in between these giant walls of rock feels like watching geology at work. Even better, you can get to Closed Canyon from FM 170.
El Camino del Rio continues on FM 170 to Santa María and San José Lajitas Mission in Lajitas, a historic adobe church that doubled as a school at the turn of the 20th century. In more recent decades, it has been restored and is still in use today. Keep going on 170 to find Barton Warnock Visitor Center, located between Lajitas and Terlingua. Aside from camping permits for Big Bend Ranch State Park, the visitor center has interactive exhibits on the region's nature past and present.