Just Outside Of Big Bend National Park Is An Underrated Texas Ghost Town With Eerie Vibes

If there's one thing the Lone Star state is known for (aside from old-fashioned BBQ and tales of the Wild West), it's the haunting remnants of once-booming towns, now turned to dust by the hands of time. If venturing to a town that makes you feel like you're part of a Clint Eastwood movie sounds like a good time, you're in luck, because Texas is home to the most ghost towns of any U.S. state — over 500 in fact. After the gold and silver dried up, most of these towns became shells of what they once were. One town, just outside of Big Bend National Park, however, is a bit different from the rest.

Once home to the Chisos Mining Company in the early-1900s, Terlingua was once a booming little town. As with most ghost towns, once the mercury production ceased, the miners went with it, leaving behind only remains. However, unlike most ghost towns, Terlingua is a place where visitors can explore a bit more than just some empty old buildings. Here, you can find the usual of course — old mine shafts, decaying buildings, cacti, and some rattlesnakes, but you'll also find rustic lodgings, an internationally acclaimed restaurant, shops, world-famous chili fixins', and a fully operational saloon and bar.  Not to mention, the views of the Sante Fe de Los Pinos mountain range from The Porch at the Starlight Cafe, said to be one of the area's best-kept secrets. 

So, how can one spend some time in a ghost town? For those looking to explore history, the town offers a look into the past with a visit to its cemetery, old jail cells, a now-closed mine shaft, and other abandoned buildings scattered throughout. Here, visitors won't find elaborate headstones, but instead, per TexasTimeTravel.com "modest filigree crosses, simple stonework, and small grottoes with hand-made embellishments highlight this historic burial spot, the final resting place for miners who succumbed while digging for the highly toxic rare earth element known as mercury." The Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead brings people to this cemetery, to celebrate lives and decorate gravesites with flowers and candles. Visitors can also patronize the Terlingua Trading Company, which offers locally made art, treats, books, and self-guided walking tour brochures for those who want to know more about the history of the town.

The town is famous for its annual Chili Cookoff (usually held in late-October), but those who can't make it during this time are in luck, as the Starlight Theatre is not only a cool old movie theatre turned restaurant, it's also home to award-winning chili.  The restaurant doesn't take reservations, so get there early or be prepared for a long wait. Luckily, for those waiting, just outside the restaurant sits a spot called the porch — which is in fact nothing more than just that — a porch. To the locals, however, it's a place to sit while having a beer, chatting, listening to music, and taking in the beauty of the desert all around. Come on a weekend day if you're looking to partake in a fun and loud atmosphere.

For such a small town, there is a surprising variety of places for visitors to spend the night. For a more rustic evening, Terlingua Escondido offers visitors the chance to spend the night in a luxury yurt, while Buzzards Roost enables guests to spend the night in a tipi (complete with a queen or full-sized bed). Those looking for an even more unique experience in the desert can book a stay at The Perch — an off-the-grid cabin built into a small cliff, Ocotillos Village — a triangular building with walls and a ceiling of glass so those staying can gaze up and out at the stars, Willow House — a set of 12 desert-style casitas on 250 acres of private land, or The Summit at Big Bend, where visitors can choose from spending the night in stargazer suites or rooms literally built into a cave. Those looking for less adventurous options will find casitas, motels, hotels, and homesteads. There is also the Terlingua Ghostown RV Park located at the entrance of town, for those looking to camp out under the stars. 

The nearest major airport to Terlingua is El Paso International Airport, which is still about a 4.5-hour drive. If you're looking for something quicker, you can fly into Midland airport from Dallas Love Field (about a 45-minute flight), and from here it is about a 3.5-hour drive to Terlingua. For those looking to make the most of the long drive, stop off at the Monahans Sandhills State Park — a collection of sand dunes located right outside Midland. Big Bend National Park also offers miles of uninterrupted desert for your hiking pleasure.