Alpine, Texas

It is one of the last places to fuel up after Fort Stockton and where you see a huge increase in border patrol vehicles.

With everything going on, I figured that this information was worth including.

Terlingua Ranch Lodge is closer to Terlingua, Texas, but still not in a city proper. There is no cell phone service, so maps need to be saved for offline. There is free wifi.

[Terlingua Ranch Lodge] Everyone I spoke to felt friendly. I didn’t visit the on-site dining, because I brought food with me. The front desk is really friendly and helpful when you call with questions.

The drive from the paved main road is a little rough, but I saw small cars make it. I rented an SUV and good thing, too. The driveway to get to the rooms has a 9% grade. I saw mostly SUVs and trucks coming and going, including the housekeeping marked trucks.

I would suggest that you freeze and bring lots of water, as this is the desert. The on-site dining does sell drinks.

There is a pool that I didn’t investigate, but looked nice from a distance. There is a shower house nearby to rinse off before/after the pool and after hiking.

Every room has a mini fridge, but a microwave is an upgrade. The room was clean and spacious. They are all duplex cabins with cold AC. The water pressure in the shower was good, but the sink water pressure and SMELL weren’t great. I eventually started washing my hands in the tub. Be aware that the tub is SLIPPERY and the showerhead doesn’t adjust.

There is a shared deck for the duplex rooms and it is so nice and quiet. Sound carries, so be aware of your noise level. There are dark hours, starting at 10 pm, as you are under the dark sky. The main buildings have their lights on, though.

There is a border checkpoint near the ranch, with multiple border patrol vehicles in the nearby town of Alpine. Be prepared to stop and answer questions at the checkpoint. Keep it friendly, light, and be calm. They will look in your vehicle via the windows and ask how many people are in the vehicle. They will ask what you’re doing in the area, where you’re coming from, and if you’re an American citizen.

One of the front desk agents had a half-Black granddaughter, so they do see us on occasion. No one I saw stared, but I kept to myself. One other tourist of Asian descent with an accent made very polite conversation on the way to the on-site dining.

I would definitely return and would pack even more water than I did on the first trip. The nearest Walmart is in Fort Stockton. The white people there are CLEARLY racist. Be quick, get what you need, and move along. There are lots of hostile stares from the white people, but the Hispanic cashiers I spoke to were friendly and welcoming.

There is a pretty good Carl’s Jr at the Love’s gas station in Fort Stockton you can stop at. The food is good, fresh, and fast. An older Black woman runs the front counter with many POC in the kitchen.

Get the Love’s app for discounts, including on gas. Fill up before you head to the ranch, as you are out of the way.

Have fun and be open to the peace and spiritual change the desert will bring. And, most of all, BE RESPECTFUL of the desert. Do not leave trash or disrespect the land/animals.

Book through Expedia. That is their preferred booking and you can save money on a car rental through Expedia.