#19: Guadalupe Mountains & Carlsbad Caverns National Parks

Upon leaving Marfa, I headed north to two smaller national parks: Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas and Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico. Although these parks are in two different states, they are only about a 45-minute drive from each other. Both being smaller national parks, I hadn’t planned on spending more than three days in the two parks combined.

About a two-hour drive from Marfa, I arrived at Guadalupe Mountains NP mid-day. This park is in the northern part of the Chihuahuan Desert, whereas Big Bend NP is in the southern part of the Chihuahuan Desert. I reserved a campsite for two nights. The camp”site” was basically a parking lot, which was a little disappointing. However, my fellow campers were super nice and helpful.

That afternoon, I decided to do a hike called Devil’s Hall, which would take at least a few hours. The weather was moderate and not hot at all, so Addie was completely fine relaxing in the trailer while I hiked (again, no dogs were allowed on the trails).

The next day I’d head out to Guadalupe Peak - the highest peak in Texas. This hike was going to be longer and more rigorous, but I figured while I’m there I should do it. Plus, I was told the views were incredible from the peak (~8,700 ft).

The hike to Devil’s Hall was respectable - the landscape was diverse and it was a lot of rock scramble (which I like). I was hiking solo, but I did run into a few other hikers along the way so I didn’t feel unsafe. After walking up a set of naturally-formed rock steps, I was almost at the destination. When I got there I understood why they call it Devil’s “Hall.”

On the hike back, I met a fellow traveler and new friend, Gerard. He and I hiked back together (getting a little lost on the way) and chatted the entire time. This is what I love about this trip: I meet so many interesting people by happenstance. Gerard and I enjoyed a drink and some soup back at my Airstream that night.

Given the weather forecast of freezing cold temperatures and a wintery mix, I made the decision to switch up my plans a bit. I’d take the bad weather day and drive to Carlsbad Caverns NP and then the day after do the hike to Guadalupe Peak. I love hiking, but I hate being miserable due to the weather. Plus, the visibility would have been zero when I got to the peak. No fun.

Gerard and I met in the morning at Carlsbad Caverns NP. The weather was SHIT. Freezing, windy and wet, we were happy to be underground. This park had a kennel for dogs, so I was able to bring Addie with me and put her in a warm kennel while Gerard and I hiked the cave. It was really hard to leave her, but it was the best thing to do - she would be warm and safe.

To get down to the caverns, you can hike/walk or take an elevator. We opted to hike it so we could see more. We ended up hiking down the equivalent of 95 stories of a building. Our ears popped a few times going down and taking the elevator back up.

At 56 degrees Fahrenheit at all times (all seasons) the caverns were breathtaking. And huge! I was amazing by how many different rock formations could be present in the same cave. There were so many different types of textures, shapes and sizes. My favorite were the ribbon type, which I’m sure you can identify among the photos below. To date, there are 119 known limestone caves in the park (with more to be discovered in time).

Gerard and I headed out of the park for a quick bite before we went our separate ways - of course, after taking a photo and posting to Instagram. 😃

The next morning was, again, crappy weather. As I’ve said before, some things are just out of my control. Foregoing the highest peak in Texas, I headed out that day to explore the rest of New Mexico.

#18: Marfa & West Texas

Marfa, TX hit me hard. I really had no idea what it was, what to expect, or what I would find. I expected little, but in the end, I found so much.

The first few days in Marfa were spent making day trips to some small towns nearby: Alpine, Marathon and Fort Davis. But Marfa was where I spent the majority of my time in West Texas.

Alpine

Alpine serves as the “big” town for Marfa. If there is something you need that Marfa doesn’t have, Alpine has more resources. There are some notable things to do there, and Addie and I took advantage. We took a very strange hike up to a desk. Yes. That’s right. There is a college there called Sul Ross State University and as the story goes, in 1981 some students sought out a quiet place to study so they heaved a desk up to the top of a hill. Here, they were able to find tranquility and beautiful surroundings to more effectively hit the books. The full story is here.

We also drove around to some art murals around town. These always make good Instagram content (because I am SUCH an influencer…I didn’t even post any of them to IG…🙄).

Marathon / Gage Hotel

A friend of mine had suggested I swing by the Gage Hotel in Marathon. There was one day the weather was not so great, so Addie and I took a ride. On the way, we saw this Target store. I believe this was supposed to be something mimicking Prada Marfa (mentioned later in this post), but just didn’t gain the same type of traction…

The Gage Hotel was a pretty cool spot. Adorned with leather furniture, longhorn skulls and old western decor, it’s widely known for the bar, White Buffalo Bar. There is a massive covered patio, which was empty at the time I stopped in. But you just knew that in warmer months, it’s filled with guests and live music. I ordered a prickly pear margarita from the bar and Addie and I plopped ourselves next to a fireplace to keep warm.

Fort Davis

Fort Davis is about 20 miles north of Marfa. I had read that there was a state park there for decent hiking, and also that the old Fort Davis (an actual frontier military post) is a national historic site there as well - both worth visiting.

Addie and I headed to Davis Mountains State Park for a morning hike. We decided to combine a few different trails and make a loop out of it. I kept Addie on the leash for this entire hike. This is not typical practice for me as she does way better off the leash. However, I was nervous for javelinas.

Before coming to Texas, I had no idea what javelinas were - perhaps I should have known. They are basically a really nasty version of a pig and are widespread in the Southwestern United States and throughout South and Central America. They are NASTY. They can attack humans and animals (including Addies), they smell horrible and they can’t see well. I am an animal lover, but I do not love javelinas.

Anyway, Addie and I had a great hike and did not run into any javelinas, thank God.

We stopped by the Fort Davis National Historic Site on the way out of town. I love history, so it was really cool to see old barracks, the fort hospital, captains quarters and the commissary. Many of the buildings were staged with furniture and original artifacts, which really brought it to life. Addie couldn’t come into the buildings, but she did walk around with me. I didn’t spend too much time inside the buildings, so she hung out outside while I took quick peeks inside them. It was a nice day, so she was content sunbathing.

MARFA

When I was finally done making my day trips, it was time to explore Marfa. I did a little bit of research and there were a few things I knew I wanted to check out. Other than that, my goal was simply to explore and figure out what was going on here in this small West Texas town.

The first place I went was El Cosmico. I was driving around town after getting back from Marathon and I passed by it unintentionally. I parked and went in, although it looked like no one was there. I walked in to a shop, with all kinds of desert-style merchandise. I meandered through until I asked the two women at the desk what this place was. They both said in unison, “A hotel.” They gave me a little background on the hotel and also a list of suggested places to check out while in town. That list was my guide for Marfa.

The next morning, I went to one of the coffee shops on the list - one that I had also read about online: The Sentinel. It was a Friday, late morning. I left Addie in the car, thinking that I would just get a coffee and go. However, I got to talking with the bartender, learned that dogs are allowed inside and also learned that this guy was super nice and fun to talk to. I went outside, grabbed Addie and pony’d up to the bar.

Aaron, the bartender (now my friend), gave me some history on Marfa and also what I should do with the one day I was planning to spend there. As I probed him on the town and asked him what the deal is, he directed me to the latest issue of Texas Monthly where there was an in-depth article, explaining the phenomenon of this small town. He invited me to take the issue they had in the shop, and bring it back when I was done reading the article because it was lengthy. He also invited me to go out that night to one of the few bars in town - I was thrilled to be making friends.

The one thing Aaron told me to do was visit the Chinati Foundation. Much of Marfa is known for the art, and much of the foundational art of Marfa is found at this museum. I made a reservation for a tour on the following morning. That afternoon, after visiting the coffee shop, headed over to Food Shark for a late lunch. They closed at 3pm, so I had to get there before then. I enjoyed the Marfalafel taco. Yum.

I wandered through town, stopping in various shops. I was shocked to find so many unique places - a custom boot shop, a handmade soap shop, a weird shop called, “Wrong,” a designer apparel shop, and countless art studios and galleries. I almost felt as if I was in a neighborhood of New York City.

That Friday, I realized that there was more to see and do in Marfa than one day would allow. I loved the Sentinel so much that I literally could hang out there all day, every day. Simultaneously, as I was thinking I wanted to stay longer, I also learned that the thermostat panel for my Airstream that was overnighted to me the day prior (see post #14) wasn’t scheduled to arrive until Monday evening. I was stuck until Tuesday as I waited for the part to be delivered. Everyone told me, “Sounds right. Nothing gets next day delivery in Marfa.” It was fate, I think, because Marfa was growing on me quickly and I couldn’t get enough.

Here is the thing with Marfa: It’s out in the middle of nowhere in the Chihuahuan Desert. But the people it draws (either locals or visitors), bring such diversity and culture. Sometimes, it felt more diverse than larger cities I’ve lived in or visited. People’s stories are incredible - from locals and cowboys to ex-New Yorkers and Europeans. The people I met and the conversations I had could arguably be some of the most meaningful conversations I’ve had in a very long time. For the first time in a while I felt a sense of belonging. I was being influenced, I was influencing and I was enjoying just BEING. So I decided to stay through the next weekend.

I spent most days hanging out at the Sentinel. If I really wanted to be productive, I’d head to a table. If I felt social, I’d sit at the bar. It’s a coffee shop, but it’s also a bar/restaurant so I would go from coffee to cocktails and see where the rest of the afternoon/evening took me. Typically, I’d chat with people there and find something to do later on. I guess that’s just how the small town thing works. I tried to check out as many other restaurants and bars as I could including Stellina, Jett’s Grill at Hotel Paisano, The Water Stop, The Capri, The Lost Horse (honky tonk/dive bar), Al Campo and Marfa Burrito.

After just two weeks in Marfa, my new friends were calling me a local. Apparently, that is how a lot of the people in Marfa end up in Marfa: they’re traveling or visiting and plan to say for a few days but keep sticking around longer, and longer and longer, until eventually they figure out a way to reside there permanently. Obviously, I did not stay permanently, as I had a lot more exploring in front of me, but to Marfa I will return.

Oh! The infamous Prada Marfa art installation was on my way out of town. When I finally peeled myself away from Marfa, I stopped there to grab a few photos. It’s actually about 30 miles outside of Marfa in a smaller town called Valentine.

I cannot forget to mention another infamous Marfa “thing”: Marfa Lights. I had heard about the Marfa Lights while in Austin. I went out to the viewing area one night, no luck. I went out the next night just after sundown (as recommended), and…I SAW THEM! It was crazy. Check out the link for more info on the Marfa Lights.

If you have the opportunity to visit Marfa, I highly recommend and encourage it. It’s somewhat far out there in West Texas, but absolutely worth the trip.