Midland, Marfa and Big Bend National Park
All distances and times are indicative and do not include stops.
Total mileage; 290 miles one way Midland to the northernmost edge of the Park via Marfa
Total drive time; 4hours 45 mins one way Midland to the northernmost edge of the Park via Marfa
How long do I need? This trip is very doable in a week
If you feel like a trip that will get you off the beaten path this is a great one! Fly into the oil town of Midland Oddessa and check out the nodding donkeys. Then, head out to Marfa, the UFO capital of the world, home to some great art and a good base for exploring the Davis Mountains including the McDonald Observatory and the frontier town of Fort Davis. Also home to some surprisingly good restaurants.
Get back in the car for a drive through scrubland and past massive ranches, and yes, that is an 80mph speed limit you can see on single carriageway. There isn’t much traffic out here!
Big Bend National Park is right on the Mexican border and has some fabulous scenery and amazing hiking though desert landscapes and the Chisos Mountains with the Rio Grande thrown in for good measure. You can take a rafting or kayak trip if you want to get on the river and the low humidity combined with almost no light pollution make for fabulous night skies.
I love this trip. You have a real feeling of being off the beaten track and on an adventure, but it is really easy to do under your own steam and you have the comforting knowledge that you can rink the tap water, are not likely to catch any obscure diseases and if you are unfortunate enough to break your leg you will be airlifted to some of the most advanced health care in the world. It’s the perfect adventure for the cautious!
Getting there
To find the best deals on your flights and accommodation, we recommend 1Plus2Travel. They are a great search website and search all the online consolidators so you don’t have to!
Otherwise, Expedia and Skyscanner have a great range of options with other carriers connecting through US hubs. They use the term Midland Odessa Regional Airport when you are searching – the code you want is MAF.
We recommend Holiday Autos or Easycar for car hire. Check out our car hire info for ways to save money. You may want to cover your excess and increase your liability cover with a policy like that from Worldwide Insure or Insurance4carhire.com.
Where to Stay…
We have only ever spent singles nights in Midland / Odessa having landed late and to catch an early plane. We recommend the Residence Inn Odessa. It is clean and comfortable with an outdoor pool area, complementary Wi-Fi and breakfast and some evenings a managers reception with drinks and snacks.
In Marfa, we like the Hotel El Paisano. This is an older hotel in a art deco building so some of the rooms are a little quirky and there no lift. I like the somewhat eclectic feel of the place. The only downside for me is the noise in the morning when people start up their Harleys and leave them running before they set off. Marfa is a popular stop for those on a hog tour so it’s kind of inevitable. If slightly eclectic does not appeal, check out the Hampton Inn Alpine. Alpine is not as interesting place to say as Marfa, bit it does have some amenity and the hotel offers large, clean, modern rooms with an indoor pool and free Wi-Fi. Failing that, the Davis Mountains Inn in Fort Davis is a lovely B&B with pleasant rooms, Wi-Fi and a nice lobby.
To stay at Big bend you have a couple of options. There is accommodation in the Park itself at the Chisos Mountain Lodge. If you want to be away from it all and be in the center of the Pak, this is the place to stay. There is a dining room on site. The rooms are a little tired and dated so don’t expect plush and if you must be in 24/7 contact, the Wi-Fi and the phone signal coverage will be spotty. If you want amazing views, hiking on your doorstep and complete relaxation it is a great place.
The best place to stay in the area in terms of nice accommodation is the Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa . The downside of this place is that it is around a 30 minute drive to the Park, but you do get a much nicer standard of room and amenity. We stayed here for 6 nights and really enjoyed it. The pool area is very pleasant, there are a couple of different restaurants and a good choice of different room types. We would happily stay again. It is in the back of beyond however, so don’t expect the earth in terms of service.
If neither of these options appeal, your best bet is to see what is available in Terlingua, which is the nearest settlement to the Park. You will not be overwhelmed with options as Terlingua is not so much a one horse as a half a horse town, but there are various motels and cabins scattered around. I did say this was an adventure didn’t I ……