The Wild, Wild West

Although many ecotourism venues are located directly around the cities of West Texas, visitors that venture deeper into West Texas find a rugged region that offers a variety of experiences ranging from rafting to star gazing to mountain climbing.

Just over the New Mexico border, travelers find several nearby ecotourism attractions. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, 140 miles east of El Paso, offers traditional guided tours as well as rugged adventure tours through the New Cave. Summer visitors can experience a bat flight as thousands of bats depart the caverns at sunset until mid-October. And 80 miles northeast of El Paso, White Sands National Monument invites travelers to hike among miles of white gypsum sand dunes, a favorite excursion for softball players and sand surfers.

Within the Lone Star state, Guadalupe Mountains National Park is home to the only true mountains in Texas. Rising to a height of 8,749 feet, the park's highest point is Guadalupe Peak. Over 80 miles of trails wind along these slopes; one of the most popular hikes is to El Capitan limestone formation and McKittrick Canyon, known for its fall color.

Hiking shares the spotlight with rafting in Big Bend, a canyon-filled remote area in the Chisos Mountains and the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert. Vacationers can book rafting trips down the waters of the Rio Grande, hike the national park itself, or visit some of the regional attractions. Several outfitters located just outside the park offer Rio Grande float trips through the rugged canyons. Guided nature walks led by naturalists are offered year around (several per day in the peak months from November through April).

The gateway to Big Bend is the community of Fort Davis, located in the Davis Mountains. Built as a US military post in the mid-19th century, today Fort Davis National Historic Site is considered one of the Southwest's best examples of a frontier military post. Vacationers can tour renovated buildings and ruins; costumed docent tours can be arranged.

Sixteen miles northwest of Fort Davis, the University of Texas McDonald Observatory is a favorite with starry-eyed travelers. Considered one of the world's best astronomy research facilities, the observatory is located far from city lights, enhancing its viewing abilities. Visitors can obtain a guided tour of the 107-inch Harlan J. Smith Telescope, used by NASA, and the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET), the third largest telescope in the world. Star parties and public viewings are scheduled throughout the year.