Small towns trail
Small-Town Texas
Past the glass towers and the freeways, there’s an older, slower Texas — desert art towns, Hill Country swimming holes, dance halls, and Gulf shrimping ports. This trail strings together the small towns worth slowing down for.
Why do it
The quieter Texas, town by town.
The quiet counterweight to Dallas–Austin–Houston — desert dark skies, spring-fed creeks, and front-porch towns made for a slow week with the windows down.
The essential stops
Where to stop on the Small-Town Texas.
01Marfahigh-desert art town — Judd minimalism, the Marfa Lights, Prada MarfaTX02Fort Davisa mile-high mountain town with star parties at the McDonald ObservatoryTX03MarathonBig Bend’s quiet gateway, the historic Gage Hotel, vast dark skiesTX04Terlinguaa Big Bend ghost town of porch beers, chili, and star-crammed skiesTX05FredericksburgHill Country German town — peach stands, wineries, Enchanted Rock at sunsetTX06Wimberleycypress creeks and swimming holes — Jacob’s Well and the Blue HoleTX07Gruenethe oldest dance hall in Texas, music over the Guadalupe RiverTX08Banderathe self-styled “Cowboy Capital of the World,” honky-tonks and dude ranchesTX09Saladoa historic Chisholm Trail village turned arts town on Salado CreekTX10Jeffersonan East Texas bayou town of Victorian homes and steamboat-era ghost storiesTX11Port Isabela working Gulf shrimping town beneath a historic lighthouseTX
Plan the trip
Build your Small-Town Texas trip.
Use the trail guide on the web now, then join the iOS beta list for verified check-ins, shared trips, badges, and your growing map.
Build a trip around a trail like this.
Save catalog-backed stops to My Trips on the web now. The iOS beta is testing the on-road companion: verified check-ins, badges, shared trips, and your growing map of America.