chihuahuan desert

A First-Timers Guide to Big Bend National Park in West Texas

August 31, 2023 | By Pam LeBlanc

Texans love the prickly wilds of Big Bend National Park, where a sky island of mountains rises from a vast desert floor, and everything looks straight out of a John Wayne Western.

Sympathy for the Devil in Southwest Texas

September 22, 2021 | By Matthew Adams

In a world where we are perhaps overly dependent on GPS—focused on getting from point A to point B as quickly and efficiently as possible—I’ve found that simply unfurling a road map and blindly jabbing a finger down on the page just to see what’s there is a surefire way of reopening my mind to the possibilities of exploration and adventure.

Daytripper: Balmorhea

May 11, 2016 | By Chet Garner

Amid the prickly-pear cacti and rocky hills of West Texas lies a literal oasis in the desert.

Get the Magazine

Save up to 62% off the cover price

Subscribe

Sign Up for Our Newsletters

Sign up for magazine extras, upcoming events, Mercantile specials, subscription offers, and more.