When unable to travel, I often dream about revisiting some of my favorite places. Recently, my dreams have been taking me to Terlingua, Texas a ghost town in West Texas in the heart of Big Bend Country! Here’s why!
Three Reasons Why I Love Terlingua
Terlingua, Texas is a super-quiet, quirky ghost town in Big Bend Country, Western Texas. We had the privilege of spending a couple of days in the Terlingua Ghost town during our Southwest road trip that took us to several National Parks near El Paso early in 2020. Ever since we returned home, both Jason and I have been talking about going back.
Terlingua, Texas = Tranquility
The primary reason that I love this tiny town is the unadulterated peace and tranquility! As we drove through desolate and immaculate roads and got closer to the casita that we had booked, I must admit that I was initially disquieted by just how isolated I felt. After all, we drove through the nearest town over an hour up the freeway.
When we first arrived, I was a little wierded out by just how quiet it was. The hum of the suburbs (and small towns for that matter) had been left far behind. Heck, our casita didn’t even have a television (I didn’t realize that we wouldn’t have a television, but I LOVED the fact that we didn’t have one!)
But as we sat in our beautiful casita, the white noise of city life behind us, we got our bearings. I ended up falling in love with the silence!
People… and Dogs Make Terlingua Unique
The locals that we met were open and laid back. There also aren’t a ton of people (the population of Terlingua was 58 as of the 2010 census), . We met folks primarily when we went to the local restaurants. Because there are so few people, we saw some of the same faces throughout the day.
Dogs were often a common icebreaker. They often accompanied their owners, unleashed. One of my favorite dogs was a former police drug dog named Tailgate. Me and Tailgate had a moment during breakfast when we shared bacon and waffles 🙂 As an example, Tailgate’s owner sat with us and talked just as if we had known each other for years. Immediately disarmed by a friendly smile and genuine desire to just chill. I loved the lack of pretense!
Some folks may not like the laid back and leisurely pace, but I quite liked it!
The Setting: Big Bend Country
Did I mention that Terlingua is in Big Bend Country? Just a short drive from Big Bend National Park, Terlingua is a picturesque desert town. Sunsets against the mountains were gorgeous, and low levels of lighting made the night sky pure blackness behind bright clusters of stars. The visual silence was other-worldly!
Places to Eat in Terlingua
If you didn’t catch it before, Terlingua is super small and sparsely populated. That being said, there are not a ton of options for places to eat. Even though that is the case, there are still endearing restaurants that provide great food for hungry explorers like us. Here are some of the places that we visited.
Espresso y Poco Mas
My personal favorite place to eat was a breakfast place called Espresso y Poco Mas. This was located right up the street from our casita, and the breakfast fare was amazing! During our stay, I had the waffle and tried a breakfast burrito – both were amazing! I was happy to find that they offered coffee and espresso drinks that were delicious as well.
You walk into the tiny storefront to place your order, and step out onto the generous patio to dine against the backdrop of the mountains. Music from Los Tres Panchos playing smoothly in the background and the bold colors of the tile, plates and decoration helps to set the ambiance for a great outdoor dining experience. Check out the video below if you want a auditory experience of being at Espresso y Poco Mas – I’m getting back in the mood just listening 🙂
This proved to be a great place to talk with locals and other visitors. This just happens to be where we met Tailgate (our dog friend). When I think of Terlingua and the things that I loved about the town, Espresso y Poco Mas is at the top of the list.
The Starlight Theater Restaurant and Saloon
The Starlight Theater was the first place that we visited. After doing a little research, I knew that we were in for a treat because there was a visiting musician that was playing during dinner. When we arrived though, we felt like we might not get a seat because there were a lot of folks gathered outside on the front patio of the restaurant (waiting, we thought).
When we went inside however, we only had about a 30 minute wait. The time passed quickly because we got a chance to take in the decorations and catch the first set of live music. We later learned that the front patio is a local hang out spot and not only a waiting area for the restaurant.
The food was tasty and moderately priced. I had pork medallions in a Chipotle Reduction at the prompting of my waitress. I would go back again just for the experience!
La Kiva
When we visited La Kiva, we were tired after a long day of exploring Big Bend National Park, and it was on the way back to our casita. I was really excited when we entered La Kiva because it felt like an underground club – it has a dark, moody vibe that seems to serve as a part restaurant, part community space.
The layout was unique and the decorations were some of my favorite that we experienced in Terlingua as each dining / hang out space had a unique theme. Beyond that, however, I felt that the experience was a little lacking. I saw a sign that there would be live music, and got excited. But then learned that the space was reserved for a poorly attended jam session. It was neat to see locals gathered to paint together in one space, but then I felt for the first time that I was a definite outsider.
The menu had typical bar / tavern food. We ended up ordering salad and pizza and waited longer than we should have. Then, when our food came the order was only half there. We had only eaten peanut butter and jelly since breakfast, so we ate what we were served (which was tasty) and left hungry.
Upon leaving, La Kiva was the only place where the unleashed dogs actually growled at us on the way back to our vehicle. Would I go back? Perhaps. But only if other places weren’t open.
Places to Stay in Terlingua
Basecamp Terlingua
We stayed in a gorgeous pueblo-style home called Casita Piedra that we reserved through Basecamp Terlingua. This cottage-style home was immaculate and comfortable. The artwork that adorned the concrete walls made us feel like we were in a unique place, and the fixtures and furnishings were well kept and beautiful.
Casita Piedra was complete with an outdoor fire pit and seating, nice landscaping, and even an outdoor shower!
We highly recommend checking out Basecamp Terlingua properties if you’re planning a visit. They have bubbles, teepees and casitas of various sizes in their portfolio. Not all of the properties were on the same tract of land which surprised me. By this, I mean, our casita was not one casita in a “mini-village” of casitas. The properties are spread out. We passed a couple casitas that we saw online a mile or so around the corner. Our nearest neighbor was a teepee.
La Posada Milagro Guesthouse
One place that I might check out the next time is La Posada Milagro Guesthouse . The rooms look very nice as well. Based on the experience that we had at Espresso y Poco Mas (with which the Guesthouse is associated), I would imagine that the service is friendly. There is something that I liked about being in a free-standing casita though.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind When You Visit Big Bend Country
Best Time of Year to Visit Terlingua
Being in West Texas, Big Bend Country gets super hot during the summer months! We lucked into visiting right after New Year in early January. The weather we experienced was perfect for a comfortable visit (clear skies with temperatures in the 40s at night and mid 70s during the day). Here’s a link so you can see the weather you might experience. I can see why we kept reading that November to January is the best time to visit Terlingua, Texas.
The busy season at Big Bend National Park starts in November and typically starts to dwindle through late December and early January. The park didn’t seem to be busy at all during our visit despite perfect weather. We spoke with a Park Ranger that told us that temperatures can be oppressive during the summer, especially in areas of lower elevation as you venture down to the Santa Elena Canyon.
Also, I haven’t really talked about this, but I might have freaked out if I saw a scorpion or tarantula in our space. Visiting during the winter reduced our chances of seeing these creatures as well – thank goodness!
Southwest Safety Considerations – Is Terlingua Safe?
One question that I saw a lot when planning to visit southwest Texas was related to the question of safety, and you or your loved ones may be wondering “is Terlingua safe?”. Terlingua felt completely safe to me (there’s hardly anyone there), but I realize that folks that care about me were concerned when I shared that we were traveling to the Southwest. After all, Terlingua and Big Bend Country in general is on the US-Mexico border which I realize makes some people slightly uncomfortable. Here is some support for low-crime in the area.
As with any trip, I recommend that you take precautions and be aware of your surroundings. Let folks back home know where you plan to be each day while on your trip. Check in with them from time to time. Even though I’m well into adulthood and travel with my husband, I typically will send my parents our road trip itinerary complete with addresses and what we plan to do each day.
Flashlights Are Your Friend
The one thing that I am glad that Jason thought to bring were a couple of flashlights. It is dark at night and there aren’t streetlights or rows of buildings to light parking areas and walkways. Take a flashlight with you!
Visiting Terlingua, Texas Again
This little corner of Texas is one that I’d love to visit again. The purity of peace, the laid back people and the gorgeous scenery all work together to make this a place to cherish! The proximity to Big Bend National Park, a park that sits among the top of my list of favorites, makes this a town that I will definitely visit again.
At a mininum, consider Terlingua as a stop on a great Southwest National Parks road trip (from El Paso) once we get the green light to safely travel again, post-pandemic! Until then, I’ll be dreaming of Terlingua.
