The Remote Town in Texas We Simply Can’t Get Enough Of

I live in a major city, and about every six weeks, I find myself searching for remote towns to escape to. Don’t get me wrong, I love living in a big city, but sometimes I need an escape from all the noise. If you’re nodding along as you’re reading this, then you’re going to love this remote town in Texas. 

Emphasis on remote, y’all. Terlingua is an extremely remote town in Texas that’s more appropriately known for being a ghost town. Fewer than 100 people live in Terlingua year-round. But if you want to truly get away from it all, Terlingua is the place to be. 

Terlingua wasn’t always a ghost town. Many miners flocked to the town in the mid-1800s when the area was discovered to have cinnabar, which is used to make mercury. By 1903, roughly 3,000 people had populated the area, but the fate of a mining town in the United States always ended the same way: once mining operations closed down, people moved away to find other work. 

Terlingua became a ghost town not long after World War II. The primary mining company, Chisos Mining Company, filed for bankruptcy in 1942, and once the mining stopped, folks left the area. 

Today, Terlingua’s mining past still remains visible, but its proximity to Big Bend National Park has breathed new life into Terlingua as a tourist destination. 

One of my favorite reasons to visit Terlingua is the night sky. Both Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park are official International Dark Sky Parks, and Terlingua reaps the rewards of those beautiful dark skies. 

I’m far from a professional, but I’ve been dabbling in astrophotography for a few years now. In the winter, I travel to the Arctic to capture the Northern Lights, and in the summer, I like to shoot the Milky Way in the States. 

If you’ve never visited a true Dark Sky Park, you’re in for a real treat. Thankfully, there are plenty of places to go stargazing in Texas. It’s positively unreal how many stars are in the sky. When you get this far away from light pollution, the heavens open up, and you’ll witness an entirely different night sky that will change your life. Check out our previous guide to stargazing at Big Bend National Park to learn more.

There is no shortage of places to stay in Terlingua, though I’m partial to this two-bedroom Airbnb that’s a restored historic miner’s dwelling. The Terlingua home is only eight miles from Big Bend National Park, so you can spend your days exploring Big Bend and your nights gazing up at the skies. The hosts even provide stargazing chairs (your neck will thank you, trust me). 

Could you see yourself visiting this remote town in Texas this summer? If the night sky captured your attention, consider visiting Terlingua in August for the Perseid meteor shower. It’s my favorite meteor shower of the year, and those dark skies pair perfectly with the Perseids. Safe travels, friends.