Welcome To Lajitas, The Quirky Small Town In Texas That Once Had A Beer-Drinking Goat For Mayor

Next time you find yourself driving through the West Texas desert, make a pit stop in Lajitas. This dusty ghost town has, quite possibly, the most absurd claim to fame of all time: a late mayor who just so happened to be a goat with an affinity for beer. Although the original goat mayor is now deceased, one of his (alleged) descendants now rules the town, and you can visit him right outside of the general store. Lajitas just might be the quirkiest small town in Texas.

The highway leading to Lajitas is a lonely and desolate one, with the vast, unspoiled West Texas desert extending as far as the eye can see in all directions.

Home to fewer than 100 people, Lajitas is located on the eastern side of Big Bend Ranch State Park. Its heyday was in the early 1900s when farming along the Rio Grande floodplain saw people flocking to the area, but the population began to plummet in the 1990s with the shuttering of the quicksilver mines in nearby Terlingua.

Despite being little more than a blip on the map, Lajitas is world-famous (and for perhaps the quirkiest reason imaginable): its beer-drinking goat for mayor.

Clay Henry the goat, who is now deceased, was elected mayor of Lajitas in 1986, beating out the town's former incumbent. He loved drinking beer, and tourists used to make their way to Lajitas from all over Texas to hold a bottle to his lips.

Today, Clay Henry IV is the current mayor of Lajitas, and while you can't feed him beer, he is quite adorable to look at. The original Clay Henry is taxidermized inside the Starlight Theatre in Terlingua.

While you're in Lajitas, be sure to check out Big Bend Ranch State Park. It's the largest state park in Texas, and the scenery is incredible.

If you like exploring ghost town graveyards, the Lajitas Cemetery is a must-visit. While most of the names on the headstones are no longer legible, it is still a historically significant place that deserves a spot on your bucket list.

You can also take a thrilling zipline tour with Lajitas Zipline, located at the Lajitas Golf Resort. With eight different ziplines that take you soaring through beautiful canyons, it's tons of fun for all ages.

Speaking of the Lajitas Golf Resort, the 27,000-acre, four-star hotel is definitely worth staying at while you're in the area.

It offers a wide range of accommodations, from standard guest rooms and suites to condos and villas. There's even a room named after Clay Henry!

Resort activities include an acclaimed golf course, a spa, pristine swimming pools, guided horseback rides, incredible dining options, and more.

Take a look at some of the fun things to do in Lajitas:

Have you ever visited Lajitas? If so, do you think it's the quirkiest small town in Texas? Tell us your thoughts in the comments! If you want a truly unforgettable experience, take a road trip to some of the most beautiful and charming small towns in Texas.