Travel & Outdoors
January 7, 2022
Folks, Please Don’t Mess With Texas Rock Art
Some idiots carved their names on prehistoric petroglyphs in Big Bend—and it's part of a disturbing spike in vandalism.
Big Bend
True Crime
September 9, 2021
Who Shot Walker Daugherty?
A shoot-out at a Big Bend ranch captured the nation’s attention: first as an alleged ambush by undocumented migrants, then as a fear-mongering hoax. The real story is much more mysterious.
Critters
July 28, 2021
Do Not Fear the “Land Lobster From Hell” Skittering Across West Texas
Yes, it has fearsome pincers and shoots acid when threatened. But it’s essentially harmless!
Travel & Outdoors
June 17, 2021
Holy Smoke! Texas Has Actual Volcanoes. Here’s Where to See Ten of Them.
They’ve been extinct for millions of years, so you'll just need a little imagination—and this handy guide.
Food & Drink
April 9, 2021
A Hedonist’s Guide to Dining in and Around Big Bend
For a food obsessive like me, Big Bend’s culinary scene rivals the nature.
Travel & Outdoors
January 26, 2021
As More Novices Head to the Wilderness, Rescues Are Spiking at Some Texas State Parks
Big Bend Ranch State Park and Enchanted Rock State Natural Area both saw a 50 percent surge in backcountry rescues last year.
Travel & Outdoors
January 16, 2021
Sanderson Is an Underrated, Adventurous West Texas Escape
This scrappy town on the edge of the Big Bend region has a trendy motel, pistol-packing waitresses, and starry nights aplenty.
Politics & Policy
December 17, 2020
2020 Has Been Awful, but It Was a Good Year for State and National Parks
Two major conservation funding victories could create a brighter future for Texas's public lands.
Film & TV
November 2, 2020
Sweeping Landscapes and Other Soothing Texas Videos to Assuage Your Election Day Anxiety
Ahead of tomorrow’s nail-biter, we present a grab bag featuring a Big Bend documentary, Beyoncé clips, the Houston Zoo’s baby animal playlist, and more.
Critters
July 23, 2020
Why Black Bears Are Returning to Texas
Contrary to what a viral video suggests, it’s unrelated to the pandemic.
Country Notes
May 20, 2020
The Signs of the Big Bend Are a Sign of the Times
Some were written long ago. Some appeared this year. But whether it’s a sign about snakes or a sign about diesel fried chicken, a simple message seems to mean the most.
Travel & Outdoors
April 3, 2020
Big Bend National Park Is Closed for Now
In what’s normally the beloved park’s peak season, officials make the call for the safety of employees and area locals during the pandemic.
Parks & Recs
March 19, 2020
Is It Okay to Visit Texas Parks During the Coronavirus Pandemic?
Spending time outdoors is good for mental health. But as COVID-19 spreads in Texas, officials and citizens are grappling with whether, and how, we can enjoy public parks.
Country Notes
October 16, 2019
A Lone Postman Delivers the Mail to the Far Reaches of the Big Bend
Not many people will drive the mail to places the U.S. Postal Service won’t. Seventy-one-year-old Gilbert Lujan is one of them.
Parks & Recs
August 20, 2019
What’s on the Horizon for Big Bend National Park
After an eventful first year as superintendent, Bob Krumenaker has a vision for the park’s future as it celebrates its 75th anniversary.
Business
January 10, 2019
How Texas Parks and Historic Sites Are Dealing With the Government Shutdown
Volunteers and others step in to help maintain Big Bend, the San Antonio missions, and other beloved sites, but fears about lasting damage grow as the impasse drags on.
Country Notes
June 22, 2018
A Land’s End: The Story of Casa Piedra
Ninety-three-year-old Armando Vasquez tells of a place that used to be.
Travel & Outdoors
March 22, 2018
Ten Hikes That Will Take You to Another World
From the red-rock canyons of the Panhandle to the towering forests of the Piney Woods, some of the best parts of our state are accessible only by foot.
Travel & Outdoors
March 21, 2018
West Texas Hikes That Will Take You to Another World
These mountain hikes will take you to new heights—and new extremes.
Travel & Outdoors
February 12, 2018
Spring Break Itinerary: The Best of West Texas
What to do, where to eat, and more if you’re heading to Fort Davis, Marfa, Marathon, and/or Big Bend this season.
Style & Design
February 4, 2018
Five Finds: A San Antonian’s glamorous life, an Austin art show, and more
What Texas Monthly's style contributors are inspired by right now.
The Texanist
January 27, 2018
The Texanist: Any Recommendations for a Big Bend Newbie?
A 39-year resident of Houston is gearing up for his first experience of the greatest road trip Texas has to offer.
January 15, 2018
Adventurers Explore Both Sides of Border in 1,200-mile Journey Along the Rio Grande
Over three installments, we follow a film team as they—by bike, horse, and canoe—document how a physical wall would affect the area, water, and its people.
Travel & Outdoors
October 19, 2017
Next Time You Travel in Texas, Stay in a Hostel
For an affordable stay in a new city, with built-in friends.
Style & Design
April 27, 2017
The Big Bend Open Road Race
We found fast cars, big skies, and a whole bunch of daredevils at this annual high-speed race weekend out west.
Travel & Outdoors
February 11, 2016
InstaTexas: The Stars At Night…
Are big and bright—and ready for their close-up.
Travel & Outdoors
February 4, 2016
5 Texas Spring Break Spots
It's never too early (or too late) to plan your escape.
Music
December 3, 2015
C3 Presents Hired A Lobbyist For The Right To Host Events At National Mall
The festival titan wants access to government-owned lands for its events.
Travel & Outdoors
October 22, 2015
InstaTexas: Wanderlust
The Instagram accounts that’ll have you itching to take a Texas road trip.
Travel & Outdoors
October 15, 2015
6 Great Outdoorsy Texas Adventures
Our great big beautiful backyard awaits.
The Culture
March 25, 2015
Where to Go First
Few things make Texans happier than a full tank of gas and an open highway. You’ve got a lot of ground to cover, but I propose you start with these four trips, each originating at Brady, the geographic center of Texas. You’ll be saying “y’all” and offering the hi sign
Travel & Outdoors
September 22, 2014
Three Gripping Tales of Survival
Saved by Prickly PearA hiker gets trapped in Big Bend.It was a gorgeous Tuesday morning in April 2010, and Merritt Myers was going on a hike. Hiking was a form of spiritual therapy for Myers—the Austinite had trekked in the Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park, even Machu Picchu—and one
Travel & Outdoors
March 7, 2014
¿Viva Terlingua?
A frontier town copes with a murder’s aftermath.
January 21, 2013
Wild Burros Protest at the Capitol
Six burros and their handlers marched up Lavaca Street to the Capitol, a furry showing of opposition to TPWD's feral burro-eradication program.
Travel & Outdoors
January 21, 2013
The “Drive” Drive
ROUTE: West of Ozona to Sanderson DISTANCE: 85 miles NUMBER OF COUNTIES: 3 WHAT TO READ: James H. Evans’s Crazy From the HeatA drive whose sole purpose is to experience the simple pleasure of being behind the wheel has a few requirements. The route must lead west, because that’s the
Feature
January 21, 2013
Home on the Range?
Texas Parks and Wildlife has embarked on an ambitious plan to restore the desert bighorn sheep population in Big Bend Ranch State Park. To accomplish this goal, the department has had to make hard choices about which animals live, which animals die, and what truly belongs in the Trans-Pecos.
Web Exclusive
January 21, 2013
A Q&A With Nate Blakeslee
The senior editor on Texas Parks and Wildlife’s program to reintroduce bighorn sheep in the Big Bend.
Music
January 21, 2013
Norah Jones
Grapevine
Feature
January 20, 2013
Light in the Darkness
The title of James Evans’s new series of Big Bend photographs is “The Camera Never Sleeps.” It doesn’t matter, apparently, that the photographer does.
Feature
January 20, 2013
Dirt and Light
James H. Evans has been photographing Big Bend for twenty years. But never before has it looked so, well, big.
Feature
January 20, 2013
Gentling Cheatgrass
What does it take to break a wild mustang? Patience, horse sense, experience, and if you’re Teryn Lee Muench, no more than one hundred days.
Travel & Outdoors
January 20, 2013
Marfa Best Western
In Donald Judd’s last interview before his death, in 1994, the artist explained that he’d first come to Marfa two decades earlier because he “just wanted a place in the Southwest for the summertime.” Whether he intended it or not, this far West Texas town has since become the
Travel & Outdoors
January 20, 2013
River Deep, Mountain High
There are any number of fun, adventurous, and unexpected things to do in the Big Bend region of far West Texas. Here are fifteen of my favorites, including scuba diving in Balmorhea, gliding over Marfa, drinking a microbrew in Alpine, horseback riding in Fort Davis, and floating through the Lower
Parks & Recs
January 20, 2013
On the Edge of Texas
For hundreds of years man—from the Comanche to the backpacker—has tried to conquer Big Bend. Still, it remains wild, stark, and pristine.
The Wanderer
August 27, 2012
Marathon: Get Outta Town
For many travelers, this far West Texas town is a last-chance pit stop before heading south to brave the wilds of Big Bend National Park. But, this past spring, after driving 407 miles (that’s roughly 7 hours and 143 country songs) from Austin to
Travel & Outdoors
February 1, 2012
Five Ranch Getaways
From riding on the range and stargazing to big game huntin, here are five guest ranches where you can explore your inner cowboy.
Border & Immigration
December 12, 2011
Boquillas Crossing to Reopen
For many in this remote part of Texas, the crossing is convenient, but detractors fear the port entry could compromise security.
Travel & Outdoors
February 1, 2011
For the Birds
Birds resemble art in more ways than one, especially when they force us to address questions of ineffable provenance.
Art
August 31, 2010
Alpine
In this high-desert hub just north of Big Bend National Park, you’ll find Western artwork, Mexican handicrafts, and the unexpected snow cone.
Web Exclusive
April 30, 2008
Mountain Man
Sam Gwynne and the Texas land commissioner in Big Bend.