The Great American Road Trip Challenge~4.5 years · 48 states · one loop
Texas & the South Plains

Stop 11 · Days 347–350

Big Bend National Park & Marfa

Big Bend National Park & Marfa, TX

One of America's wildest, least-visited parks — mountains, canyons, and the Rio Grande under some of the darkest skies in the country — plus the improbable high-desert art town of Marfa.

Where to stay

  • Chisos Mountains Lodge or a Terlingua stay

    The only in-park lodge, or a quirky ghost-town rental nearby.

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You gotta eat this

  • Terlingua chili

    The ghost town that hosts the famous chili cook-off.

The days here

Each day opens its own hour-by-hour page

  1. 347Day 347 — The Chisos & the WindowFull day · 5h planned
  2. 348Day 348 — The Rio GrandeFull day · 5h 30m planned
  3. 349Day 349 — Marfa & the StarsFull day · 5h planned
  4. 350Day 350 — Northwest to El PasoDrive day · 3h drive

What this stop is made of

  • National Parks & Forests
  • Museums & History
  • Guided Tours