We were in Alpine Texas for four nights 14-17 March. We arrived early enough to get settled and attend The Stations of the Cross at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Alpine. Their Knights of Columbus had a fish dinner in their parish hall that evening. We had talked about picking it up to take home, but we ended up staying to eat there. It was a whole meal (fish, coleslaw, hush puppies) with a drink and dessert for $15. That Saturday, we went to mass at Our Lady of Peace at 6pm.
Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church - Alpine Texas - 14 March 2025
Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church - Alpine Texas - 14 March 2025
We felt like we thoroughly covered Alpine with a walking tour of the town, as well as a driving tour. On our first day of site seeing in Alpine, we visited the Museum of the Big Bend. The museum actually has a quote by Hallie Stillwell, the woman rancher whose campground we stayed at outside of Big Bend National Park (Stillwell Store and Campground). In her museum she talked about making wax for a source of income. The Museum of the Big Bend talks about wax making in more detail. It was common for a time. Bears were also so prevalent back then that the women used bear oil for making their bread.
Also, Alpine, Texas, is often called a "mile-high city" because it sits at an elevation of about 4,475 feet, and the surrounding mountain peaks are over a mile above sea level. Anita was surprised to see this fact since it's been no problem to breathe. A couple of years ago when we started our travel adventures, it was hard to breathe on hikes at the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon with elevations over 7,000 feet. Makes me wonder if those same hikes from a couple of years ago would be as hard to breathe.
Museum of the Big Bend - Alpine Texas - 15 March 2025
Museum of the Big Bend - Alpine Texas - 15 March 2025
Museum of the Big Bend - Alpine Texas - 15 March 2025
Museum of the Big Bend - Alpine Texas - 15 March 2025
Museum of the Big Bend - Alpine Texas - 15 March 2025
Museum of the Big Bend - Alpine Texas - 15 March 2025
This replica is only 1/3 the size of the actual bird
Museum of the Big Bend - Alpine Texas - 15 March 2025
Flying Dinosaur bone discovered in 1999 - over 100 ft wingspan
Museum of the Big Bend - Alpine Texas - 15 March 2025
Same Flying Dinosaur bone discovered in 1999 - over 100 ft wingspan
Museum of the Big Bend - Alpine Texas - 15 March 2025
Dan Blocker (Hoss on the TV show Bonanza) went to Sul Ross State University in Alpine TX
Museum of the Big Bend - Alpine Texas - 15 March 2025
Dan Blocker (Hoss on the TV show Bonanza) went to Sul Ross State University in Alpine TX
Museum of the Big Bend - Alpine Texas - 15 March 2025
Geronimo's warrior head dress
Museum of the Big Bend - Alpine Texas - 15 March 2025
Pancho Villa
On 16 March 2025 we checked out the town of Alpine. They have had a "revitalization" of their downtown with over 40 murals on the outside walls of historic buildings. We did the walking tour first and then after lunch we did the driving tour and saw points of interest a little outside of downtown. After our time in Alpine we came away thinking the town could go either way, thriving again or ending up a ghost town.
Alpine Texas walking tour - 16 March 2025
Alpine Texas walking tour - 16 March 2025
Alpine Methodist Church
Alpine Texas walking tour - 16 March 2025
The Sunshine House, Alpine’s second public school, was built in 1891
Alpine Texas walking tour - 16 March 2025
Alpine Texas walking tour - 16 March 2025
Alpine Texas walking tour - 16 March 2025
Alpine Texas walking tour - 16 March 2025
Alpine Texas walking tour - 16 March 2025
Alpine Texas driving tour - 16 March 2025
Alpine Texas driving tour - 16 March 2025
Alpine Texas driving tour - 16 March 2025
Alpine Texas driving tour - 16 March 2025
Alpine Texas driving tour - 16 March 2025
Alpine Texas - 16 March 2025
We saw lots of mule deer each day inside of Alpine. The couple we sat with at the fish-fry said Alpine is in a 10 year drought.
On our last day for site seeing, we drove about 20 miles out to the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center. We wanted to do a nature hike and see the grounds. We opted to do the Modesta Canyon trail, which was rated Strenuous. We did indeed find it to be strenuous, but we finished it and stayed to do an easier trail and to see the Cactus Museum.
Since we've been in Texas, we've had several days of high wind and fire advisories, watches or warnings. We've had days with temps close to 80 and nights down to the mid 30's. Steve ended up getting a cold sometime in the last month. We have so much dust in the air that Steve sneezes several times a day while Anita has coughing "attacks". We're quite a pair. Steve's cold didn't last long, but we both blow our noses often, again with all the dust in the air. We're looking forward to Fredericksburg and continuing East where there is green grass and trees, and lakes and rivers.
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center - Alpine Texas - Modesta Canyon Trail - 17 March 2025
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center - Alpine Texas - Modesta Canyon Trail - 17 March 2025
The narrow trail with a big drop and getting higher and higher was unsettling...
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center - Alpine Texas - Modesta Canyon Trail - 17 March 2025
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center - Alpine Texas - Modesta Canyon Trail - 17 March 2025
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center - Alpine Texas - Modesta Canyon Trail - 17 March 2025
Lions Head Hill
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center - Alpine Texas - Modesta Canyon Trail - 17 March 2025
Mitre Peak (AKA Bishop's Hat)
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center - Alpine Texas - 17 March 2025
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center - Cactus Museum - Alpine Texas - 17 March 2025
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center - Cactus Museum - Alpine Texas - 17 March 2025
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center - Cactus Museum - Alpine Texas - 17 March 2025
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center - Cactus Museum - Alpine Texas - 17 March 2025
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center - Cactus Museum - Alpine Texas - 17 March 2025
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center - Cactus Museum - Alpine Texas - 17 March 2025
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center - Cactus Museum - Alpine Texas - 17 March 2025
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center - Cactus Museum - Alpine Texas - 17 March 2025
After lunch on Monday 17 March, we drove to Marfa Texas. Marfa is known for the "Marfa Lights," also known as the "Marfa Mystery Lights" or "Marfa Ghost Lights". They are mysterious, unexplained lights that appear in the desert outside Marfa, Texas, and have been observed for over a century. We were there during the day, so we didn't see the lights, but we visited the Marfa and Presidio County Museum. The museum had a couple of pictures of the lights and a thick book of information about the lights. On our way back to Alpine, we stopped at a Marfa Lights Viewing area.
Marfa Texas - 17 March 2025
Marfa And Presidio County Museum
Marfa Texas - 17 March 2025
Marfa And Presidio County Museum
Marfa Texas - 17 March 2025
Marfa And Presidio County Museum
Marfa Texas - 17 March 2025
Presidio County Courthouse
Marfa Texas - 17 March 2025
Marfa Lights Viewing Area
Marfa Texas - 17 March 2025
Marfa Lights Viewing Area
Our home in Alpine Texas 14-17 March 2025
Alpine Sunset
We got to Fredericksburg Texas a couple of days ago (18 March 2025) and are enjoying our time here.
Comments