This byway is one of our choices for Texas’ Top Scenic Byways, as listed in our Texas section.
This is one of my favorite scenic drives in the U.S. El Camino del Rio, which is also referred to as River Road and FM 170, has all of the best qualities of a top road trip: history, amazing overlooks, unexpected sites, unique hikes and numerous other outdoor activities. Plus, the route follows an international boundary which just feels exotic. Fall, winter and spring are the best times to travel in this area as summer temperatures can be off the charts.
Terlingua northwest along the Rio Grande and US/Mexico border to Presidio
62 miles / 100 km
You can either start in Alpine and drive 84 miles south via State Highway 118 to Terlingua. Or pick up this route as you’re leaving Big Bend. The national park’s western entrance is just eight miles east of Terlingua, a dusty ghost town that’s become home to artists, retirees and outdoor enthusiasts. In addition to building ruins and an old cemetery, today this early 1900s mining settlement has art galleries, gift shops, eclectic lodging and camping, restaurants and bars. And on the first Saturday of every November it hosts thousands of “chili heads” who come for a championship chili cookoff that started in 1967. But don’t look for an organized downtown. Part of Terlingua’s appeal is its ramshackle, Old West appearance.
From Terlingua, follow FM 170 west 11 miles to the Barton Warnock Visitor Center. While Big Bend National Park lies a few miles to the southeast, the El Camino del Rio passes through the southern part of Big Bend Ranch, Texas’ largest state park. FM 170 is the only paved route into Big Bend Ranch, providing access to gravel two- and four-wheel-drive roads. Mountain biking, hiking, backpacking, horseback riding and various watersports are the main activities, and the visitor center has information, permits and licenses. Big Bend Ranch is an International Dark Sky Park so stargazing and astrophotography are incredible here, too. West Texas lies in the Chihuahua Desert, the largest desert in North America, and the visitor center has a two-acre garden where you can view and learn about native plants.
A mile down the highway from the Barton Warnock Visitor Center is Lajitas, an old Army post that’s now the Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa, with a highly regarded 18 hole championship golf course. The resort also runs the nearby Maverick Ranch RV Park. Lajitas is where the highway joins the river, and as its Spanish name implies, El Camino del Rio means “the river way.”
The River Road is a paved roller coaster pitching up and down the hills and cliffsides overlooking the Rio Grande. It’s not really a rough or frightening drive but you certainly won’t get sleepy from the stimulating curves and scenery. The highway is officially marked as Farm to Market Road 170. Created by legislation in 1949, Texas’ farm to market roads are an extensive network of secondary roads connecting rural or agricultural areas to towns and cities. Sandwiched between rock and river, El Camino del Rio is one of the most picturesque drives in Texas.
For 50 miles, this farm to market road parallels the Rio Grande and international border. When you’re not enjoying views of Mexico, look for hoodoos, sculptured pinnacles of weathered rock. Volcanic eruptions and lava flows created the area’s mountains while ash deposits eroded to form the hoodoos. Meanwhile, the waters of the Rio Grande carved the impressive canyon. There are pullouts, picnic areas and permit-required camping spots along the drive.
Twenty miles from Lajitas, look for the parking area for the Closed Canyon Trail, an easy 1.4-mile roundtrip hike that follows a narrow slot canyon. From Closed Canyon, it’s 4.5 miles to the Hoodoos and Balanced Rock Trail where a short trek leads to various photogenic rock formations. You can also walk along the Rio Grande with lush habitat and lower temperatures, a cool contrast to the surrounding desert.
From here, El Camino del Rio continues another 22 miles to Fort Leaton State Historic Site, where restored buildings and exhibits offer insight into border life in the 1800s. The fort also has info, permits and licenses for Big Bend Ranch State Park. It’s another three miles to the scenic drive’s end in Presidio with fuel, food and a border crossing to Mexico. From Presidio, continue 60 miles north on US 67 to Marfa. Or you can return 62 miles via the River Road to Terlingua.
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