Day Trippin' › Texas › From Marfa
From Marfa, the Chinati Foundation is minutes away, the Marfa Lights Viewing Area about 15, Alpine and Fort Davis about 35, McDonald Observatory under an hour, Balmorhea about an hour, the River Road about an hour, and Big Bend National Park about two and a half hours. The best day trips from Marfa, by drive time.
29 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
Observatory · 54 min north
A University of Texas research observatory atop the Davis Mountains, with daytime telescope tours, solar viewing and night star parties under some of the darkest skies in the country.
Town · 34 min east
A college town in the Big Bend region with murals, shops, cafes and the Museum of the Big Bend.
Museum · 34 min east
A museum on the Sul Ross State University campus covering the natural history, people and cultures of the Big Bend.
State park · 37 min northeast
A cool mountain park with the CCC-built Skyline Drive, ridge trails, a bird blind and the historic Indian Lodge.
Wildlife refuge · 38 min northeast
A desert garden and trail system near Fort Davis with a cactus museum, a bird blind and canyon paths to a natural spring.
Historic site · 38 min northeast
One of the best-kept frontier Army forts in the Southwest, with restored 1880s buildings, ruins and trails in a box canyon.
Town · 35 min northeast
A small mountain town near 5,000 feet, the highest town in Texas, with cool summers and easy access to the fort, the observatory and the state park.
Swimming · 1 hr 4 min north
A giant spring-fed pool, up to 25 feet deep, with clear water that stays 72 to 76 degrees all year; you can swim, snorkel and even scuba dive.
Historic site · 1 hr 10 min south
A thick-walled adobe trading post near Presidio where travelers once stocked up, with walls 18 to 22 feet tall; it doubles as the west visitor center for Big Bend Ranch.
Scenic drive · 1 hr 7 min south
A winding highway between Lajitas and Presidio that hugs the Rio Grande through Big Bend Ranch State Park, with steep grades, river views and short trailheads.
State park · 1 hr 52 min south
A huge, rugged desert state park of canyons, mesas and backroads along the Rio Grande with 238 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and riding.
Trail · 1 hr 39 min south
A walk into a narrow slot canyon that splits Colorado Mesa in two, with towering walls guiding you down toward the Rio Grande.
Historic site · 1 hr 40 min northeast
A frontier Army post with an original 1867 guardhouse, rebuilt barracks and a small museum in town.
National park · 2 hr 22 min southeast
A huge Chihuahuan Desert park where the Chisos Mountains rise above the Rio Grande and its deep canyons. Desert, mountain and river hikes and scenic drives fill a long day.
Historic site · 2 hr 53 min northwest
A 55-acre park by the border that tells how the U.S. and Mexico peacefully settled a long land dispute, with walking trails and a cultural center.
Scenic drive · 2 hr 53 min northwest
A short, winding road on the south end of the Franklin Mountains with overlooks across El Paso and Ciudad Juarez, best at sunset or after dark.
Trail · 2 hr 42 min south
A short walk that crosses Terlingua Creek and climbs into Santa Elena Canyon, where 1,500-foot limestone walls rise on both sides of the Rio Grande.
Hot spring · 2 hr 42 min southeast
A historic hot spring on the bank of the Rio Grande where 105 degree water bubbles up in a historic district of old buildings.
Zoo · 2 hr 51 min northwest
A city zoo with areas for Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Chihuahuan Desert.
State park · 2 hr 21 min northeast
Wind-shaped sand dunes you can roam freely, where kids slide down the slopes on rented sand discs.
Museum · 2 hr 54 min northwest
A downtown art museum with American, European and Southwest collections and changing shows.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 79843 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.