Getting Here

Getting here requires driving at some point, and that's all part of the adventure. If you are driving from the El Paso Airport, we recommend driving through Valentine and Marfa. If you are driving from the Midland/Odessa Airport, we recommend driving through Fort Davis and Marfa. Sites to see on your drive:

• Fort Davis - McDonald Observatory, Davis Mountains, & Historical Site
• Valentine - Prada Marfa & Giant James Dean mural
• Marfa - see our "Guides > Marfa" page

Since there are many unpaved roads in the area, 4WD or AWD vehicles are typically recommended to maximize your experience, and sports cars are highly discouraged. There are 2.8 miles of unpaved roads to get to Camp Elena. Although rain is rare in the Chihuahuan Desert, please drive with caution when the unpaved roads are wet, and typically it's best to wait for them to dry. Google Maps is more accurate than Apple Maps when navigating the area.

The closest commercial airports are within a 4 to 7.5 hour drive of the area and have rental car providers. We highly recommend booking a rental car in advance.

• Midland/Odessa Airport (MAF) - 250 miles (4 hrs) to Terlingua
• El Paso Airport (ELP) - 300 miles (4 hr 53 min) to Terlingua
• San Antonio Airport (SAT) - 459 miles (6 hr 56 min) to Terlingua
• Austin Airport (AUS) - 490 miles (7 hr 41 min) to Terlingua

There are various other rental car options in the area with limited supply, including Alpine Auto Rental.

If you are looking for a more leisurely ride into town, we recommend riding the Amtrak Train into Alpine and renting a car from there to drive to Terlingua, as Alpine Auto Rental delivers to the station. The remaining drive from Alpine is 85 miles, or 1 hr 25 min, to Terlingua. Amtrack has stations throughout the US and has options for private sleeping cabins and onboard dining. See Amtrak's website for a full list of routes and stations.

• San Antonio - 7 hr 43 min to Alpine
• Houston - 15 hr 33 min to Alpine
• Austin - 15 hr 58 min to Alpine
• Dallas - 22 hr 28 min to Alpine