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Marathon
Although Marathon sits thousands of miles from the sea, its founder, sea captain Albion Shepard, named it for Marathon, Greece, because of the surrounding landscape. Ironically, the town is situated in the center of an ancient seabed. Today, Marathon is a popular tourist destination along U.S. 90, with restaurants, shops, and art galleries. Be sure to stop by the historic Gage Hotel while you’re there. Famous for its cuisine and classic West Texas hospitality, this landmark is a must-see. Marathon has 37 moderate, 19 first-class, and 15 deluxe accommodations.
Slide show about Big Bend
Eat! Sleep! Terlingua!The Post
Five miles south of Marathon on Post Rd.
432-386-4516
Here you will find the setting of Fort Peña Colorado, built in 1879 to protect the area from Comanche raids. Natural springs feed a large pond, a feature that has made the site an oasis for centuries. Today it is a public park and a popular place for birdwatching, picnics, and dances. Overlooking the site are beautiful novaculite ridges called the Rainbow Cliffs, named for the lovely colors painted by the setting sun on the white, red, and brown rock layers.
Travel Intinerary
Marfa, Alpine, Marathon - 4 Days
Marfa is perhaps best known for its odd Marfa Lights–ghostlike lights, with no clear source, that often appear in the night sky. The annual Marfa Festival celebrates this phenomenon over Labor Day weekend. It’s just one of the attractions in this quaint West Texas town where the movie Giant was filmed.
Explore the Marfa Courthouse, built in 1886–1887 and a wonderful example of the Second Empire style that was the architectural rage in mid-19th-century Europe. A fun lunch spot is FoodShark Marfa, a funky mobile café specializing in Mediterranean food (a Marfalafel, anyone?) that’s usually parked across from the Marfa Book Co. (on Highland Avenue).
Reserve a room at the Hotel Paisano and have dinner at its Jett Grill, which offers a selection of seafood, chicken, and pasta dishes. In the morning, enjoy coffee and the newspaper in the courtyard, with its stunning fountain.
Next it’s off to Alpine. Learn about your final destination in the region, Big Bend National Park, at the Museum of the Big Bend. Get lunch or dinner at Reata, the original location of the famous restaurant named after the ranch in Giant and notable for its “cowboy cuisine,” and check out the live music at Railroad Blues. Visit Alpine’s Apache Trading Post for books and souvenirs before heading to Marathon.
Marathon is known for the historic Gage Hotel, but don’t miss the opportunity to spend a night at Eve’s Garden Organic Bed and Breakfast and Ecology Resource Center, where you’ll find healthy meals made with local and organic ingredients and you’ll stay in a straw-bale adobe house that’s available for groups and families–a classic example of modern living in the Old West.
Before heading off to the park, create your own picnic-to-go at the French Company Grocer (206 N. Avenue D). Established in 1900 as Marathon’s first general store, this place has all sorts of goodies, as well as a covered eating area with wireless Internet access if you want to hang out for a while.
