West Texas can be a very hard place to travel or even to live in. It is a vast barren desert with several intense months of high heat. Everything is very spaced out and there are oil rigs around every turn. Many visitors to the area struggle to find the beauty of this giant desolate section of Texas. Timing your visits is key to actually see the beauty and the best that West Texas surprisingly has to offer.
One example is visiting the gem of West Texas; Big Bend National Park. This can be an incredible experience, but due to the heat is can also be a miserable one. Certain times of the year you will be sitting in high traffic while visiting the park. Other times you will get in and out of each hike with no problem! During certain months you will see bluebonnets scattered throughout the park, while other times the leaves will be changing colors. Picking the proper time of year, will equal the best experience.
This is the case for all of West Texas! If you want to truly enjoy the best that west Texas has to offer, be sure to follow this guide. Plan your trips around the best seasons to visit each town!
January: Terilingua
Big Bend National Park is the gem of west Texas. This incredible national park is located at the very base of the west Texas area. This desert national park is decorated with purple cacti and grand rocky mountains. Throughout the park you can hike through several rocky canyons and enjoy the view of Mexico across the river. It is an incredible place to visit and should be #1 on everybody’s Texas bucket list!
That being said, when is the perfect time to visit. Most people will tell you spring between March-April. While this is a beautiful time of year with patches of bluebonnets blooming in the desert, my favorite time of year to visit Big Bend National Park as a local of West Texas, is the month of January and here is why:
- It looks like fall!! The trees that are all located by the riverside are bright yellow!
- The weather is perfect!! Sure it is cold, but Texas only has 2 temperatures, cold or hot, which would you prefer to hike in. 100 degree temperatures or 40 degree temperatures?
- Due to the colder weather there are less people. Everyone just took time off for Christmas so not very many people are traveling out into the middle of no where desert Texas. If you go any other time of the year you are looking at lines of traffic, no parking, and no camping spots.
- Swimming in the hot springs never felt so good! I mean hot spring water always feels good, but when it is hot outside, it doesn’t quite have the same effect as swimming in warm water in cold weather.
- No rattlesnakes! For the majority of the year, rattlesnakes are a concern when hiking in west Texas, but not this month! Its too cold for them to be out which means hiking with no fear of poisonous reptiles!
Most of the year Big Bend is a fight to visit due to its popularity, so if you are looking for less crowds, to escape the heat, and still pretty sights, January is the best time to visit Big Bend National Park and the Terlingua area. Click here for more of my tips and tricks to give you the best vacation while visiting Big Bend National Park.
February: Alpine/Marfa
February equals Valentine’s Day, so where better to send off your Valentines than Valentine, Texas! This tiny little town is located near Marfa, Texas; home of the famous west Texas photo op, the Prada store. Marfa, Valentine, and Alpine, Texas are 3 tiny little towns sandwiched between Fort Davis and Big Bend National Park.
Each town is about 20-30 minutes apart from each other; each is so unique and rich with culture. While I wouldn’t really rate these as family towns, they are a nice getaway for a romantic Valentine’s Day weekend trip.
Marfa is exactly what you would picture for a west Texas town. This tiny town is made up of old buildings and tons of really cool cultural stores. I feel like the entire town is a West Texas photo op! While it is old fashioned it houses several very modern art museums, one of which is the unique Chinati Foundation.
Alpine isn’t as culturally artsy as Marfa, but it does have some unique art of its own on display. Hancock Hill is the iconic Alpine hike up a rocky hillside to an overlook of the town. At the top of this overlook is an old desk to sit and enjoy the view and write your name in to commemorate your hiking experience. Also be sure to admire the bike tree just around the corner.
You don’t just have to hike to enjoy art though, throughout town there are murals in all directions. Be sure to stop at the visitor center to pick up a mural map and walk around town. The weather makes being outside in west Texas more of an enjoyment than a misery. Enjoy it while it lasts!
Another fun stop is to book a visit to Wasserman Wranch. Any outdoor activity is miserable in this area during summer, but in February you will want to spend all your time outdoors. My favorite outdoor activities usually involve animals. This tiny farm in Alpine has the classic donkeys and llamas for you to pet, but they also have kangaroos! So add spending a day watering camels and cuddling kangaroos to your Alpine itinerary.
March: Sweetwater
While San Antonio is well known for its Dia De Los Muertos, Tyler for its Rose Festival, and even New Braunfels for its Pickle Festival; west Texas is not really known for many festivals. I would say most of them stay pretty local, except for one. West Texas has the most unique festival in all of Texas, and that is the World’s largest Rattlesnake roundup.
Every second weekend of March in Sweetwater, ranchers and farmers round up hundreds of rattlesnakes to help clear the land due to how much they overpopulate. During this festival you can watch rattlesnake milking demonstrations, skin your own rattlesnake, eat rattlesnake, and even get your picture with a live rattlesnake around your neck. Talk about a unique experience!
April: Fort Davis/Balmorhea
West Texas heat has most likely already set in. It may be still decent weather in the mornings, but day time means lather on the sunscreen time. Mornings are best spent hiking around the mountains at Davis Mountains State Park. If you hike in the early mornings, you will most likely see herds of Javelina pigs.
As the heat sets in its time to go for a swim at Balmorhea State Park. This state park is an oasis in the middle of the desert. Home to the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool! You can swim here, camp, jump off the diving boards, or even go scuba diving with the fish/turtle breeds that are native to this pool!
As night sets in it is time to look to the stars, McDonald Observatory is located in the Davis Mountains and these telescopes will give a look at what feels like to be out of this world!
May: Midland/Odessa
May is an interesting time of year, it is pretty much too hot to hike, but no pools or splash pads are open, so what do you do!? This is where the heart of the Permian Basin comes into play; Midland and Odessa. These towns don’t really have the rep for being exciting, but just like most in West Texas if you really go digging you will find beauty here. Here are your top 10 must see sights when visiting Midland/Odessa:
- West Texas Food Bank Garden- Walk around a beautiful garden
- UTPB Stonehenge- Enjoy the West Texas version on the iconic Stonehenge
- Claydesta Center- Look for taxidermy animals in a random indoor garden
- Midland Army Air Field Museum Hanger- Walk through Airforce history in this air museum
- Bass Pro Shop- When is this store not fun?
- Museum of the Southwest- Enjoy a day walking through an art museum, children’s museum, and planetarium all for one price
- Watersong Wild Space- Hike around the wildlife to West Texas
- Sibley Nature Center- Learn more about the local wildlife and even go for a hike through the mesquite
- Susies South 40- Sample delicious candies at this local candy factory
- Petroleum Museum- Educate yourself about the oilfield and drive a spaceship
June: El Paso
Its time to live in the water! Texas is hot and it is just going to get hotter, so do not be surprised if I just encourage you to spend the next several months near water! While El Paso isn’t really known for having much water, it does have quite a few water parks! You cannot drive through this city without spotting a waterpark! The city itself even owns 4 waterparks; Chapoteo, Camp Cohen, Lost Kingdom, and Oasis. I will give you a really helpful tip to save you some money on these parks, purchase a GetOut Pass! This pass will get you into all 4 parks for one price, and if you use my code WESTXMOM you will get your passes for an even better rate!
Each waterpark has colorful and exciting themes. Giant waterslides, splash pads, toddler pools, lazy rivers, and more are featured in each park. It is a family friendly way to beat the awful heat of summer.
If you do decide to brave the heat, there are several fun and short activities to do throughout town. Licon Dairy is a free petting zoo that features ostriches, giant cows, donkeys, deer, emus, goats, and more. For $1 you can buy a bag of feed to feed any of the animals. It is such a fun and budget friendly activity that won’t leave you sweating buckets in the heat. If you love animals there is always the zoo!
Another quick, yet fun activity to enjoy in El Paso is to visit the missions. There are several beautiful old, historic chapels that are open for visitors to enjoy. It is a free way to experience to history and beauty of El Paso.
El Paso is a city full of shops and delicious food, but also plenty of indoor activities to escape the heat. There are many museums such as the La Nube STEAM Discovery Center, Jungle Reef, TecH20 Center, and the National Border Patrol Museum. There of course is bowling, indoor mini golf, arcades, and trampoline parks. Plenty of ways to kill time at the heat of the day. It is a city full of hustle and bustle, rich with Hispanic heritage.
July: Hobbs NM
There is only one way to survive west Texas in the summer and that spend as much time in water as possible!! While the city of Hobbs is technically New Mexico, it is literally right over the border! Normally I would say there isn’t much to do in this small town, but during summer this is the place families want to be!
The city of Hobbs has taken into account the blistering west Texas heat and invested in not one, not 2 but 8 separate water activity centers! Hobbs has 5 splash pads, 1 indoor waterpark, and 2 swimming pools! This is my kids favorite place to be when the weather is in the 100-degree range! We literally will just hop from one pool or splash pad to the next!
Be sure to click here to see my list of other fun things to do in Hobbs, New Mexico.
August: Big Spring/Colorado City
Another month of heat means another month of water themed activities, which takes us to Big Springs, Texas. Spend your mornings mural hunting and taking pictures with the adorable murals scattered around town. Grab lunch at Big Jon’s Feedlot for a John Wayne themed BBQ and cobbler. Then spend the rest of the day on the lake at Lake Moss Creek.
During this time of year yellow flowers line the lake giving some bright colors against the sparkling waterside. This is one of our favorite spots to boat, due to its exclusivity. If you don’t want to go boating, this is a wonderful spot to go swimming, horseback riding trail rides, 4 wheeling, camping, or dirt bike riding.
Not too far down the road in Lake Colorado City State Park. Yet another lake to escape to! This much quieter lake is a great spot to go fishing and has a beach area for the kiddos to play all day in the cool water. If you get there before the sun is up too high this is also a great place to go hiking surrounded by forests of cacti.
September: San Angelo
The month of September is what residents of west Texas like to call a second spring. Don’t get me wrong it is still crazy hot and slightly miserable to be outdoors, but this is the season the flowers come back for a second shot. San Angelo is an artistic and colorful region of west Texas. It houses several gardens, the best of which is the International Water Lily Garden. September is the best time of year to visit this garden because all the water lilies are in full bloom!
The gardens aren’t the only beautiful sights to enjoy in San Angelo, there is also the Pop Art Museum, the painted sheep, Paint Brush Alley, and the many murals located throughout town. This artsy town is dotted with all forms of interactive art to enjoy!
Hikes are still pretty hot this month, but there are several that give quite a bit of shade, like the South Concho River Trail and the San Angelo nature trail. The best part is that San Angelo is surrounded by several lakes, so after a short hot hike you can always relax in the cool water of Lake Nasworthy.
This is just a fun spot to enjoy the best that west Texas has to offer! Honestly this is my favorite town in West Texas!
October: Monahans
There are pumpkin patches all over west Texas. If you want proof, be sure to click here to read my article about the best pumpkin patches around! My number one favorite is located just right by Monahans, Texas!
The Manjuano Brothers Farm is our favorite pumpkin patch in the west Texas area. It is a smaller pumpkin patch, but it still has everything you are looking for in a pumpkin patch; a giant jumping pillow, horseback riding, barrel train, corn maze, photo ops, and so much more. As you drive up to the farm you can admire the fields of sunflowers in full bloom and snack on the best Elotes you ever tried!
Visiting a pumpkin patch is an obvious must in the month of October, but not the main reason you will want to visit Monahans this month! The main reason is actually the Monahans Sandhills State Park!
For the majority of the year visiting the sandhills is extremely hot and walking on the sand will burn your feet. Luckily in October temperatures are starting to drop, so you can still play in the sand is shorts and a t-shirt, but without the pain in your feet! Lets just say this is perfect weather for some sand sledding!
November: Guadalupe Mountains National Park/Carlsbad
There are few months in the year that hiking actually sounds like a fun idea in west Texas. November the weather has cooled down enough that overheating isn’t such a prevalent problem and rattlesnakes aren’t basking out on the open trails. It’s time to hit the trails!
While Big Bend National Park is the gem of West Texas, there is also a second lesser-known national park in west Texas; Guadalupe Mountains National Park. End of November, beginning of December is the best time to visit this beautiful National Park! If you don’t believe me then google it right now so you can see the amazing fall colors that have taken over the desert scene of this national park.
Bright red and golden yellow leaves line the valley of McKittrick Canyon and you would not believe it was the same rocky scene that it is the majority of the year.
While you are in the area you might as well stop over at the neighboring national park; Carlsbad Caverns National Park. This national park is located just north of Guadalupe Mountains, over the New Mexico border. You can hike deep into the most remarkable caverns I have ever seen! Or stop by Sitting Bull Falls to enjoy a desert waterfall! Regardless take advantage of this cooler weather and spend this month hiking! Trust me, this is the time to get your hiking fix of West Texas.
December: Lubbock
December is a tricky month is west Texas, the weather is cold so you don’t really want to be outside a ton, but because it is cold you want to take advantage of the lack of rattlesnakes and lack of intense heat that you don’t want to miss the opportunity to go hiking. This is why Lubbock, Texas is the perfect place to spend the Christmas month in west Texas.
First lets talk about the elephant in the room; its Christmas time and you want to do Christmas activities! While Lubbock’s only drive thru Christmas lights experience is in a mall parking lot, they do have something even better and no doubt will be one of the quirkiest light experiences you will ever have, Santaland!
You can walk through different movie set ups all geared toward Christmas, from Monsters Inc to Batman! There are multiple little shops to walk through each set up with Christmas themes; one even housing Yoda in a Santa hat. There is hot chocolate for sale, Christmas lights all around, photo ops, carolers, and of course the big man himself!
Lubbock has a large assortment of shops and delicious places to grab Christmas treats. It is the perfect spot to get all your Christmas shopping done.
Next, Lubbock has the west Texas hiking you are looking for in this colder weather. Winter is the best time of year to hike in west Texas; the intense heat is gone and there are no rattlesnakes on the trail! So time to finally enjoy hiking in this area! In town Lubbock has some really nice trails around Lubbock Lake and the Canyon Lakes trails, but the best hiking is outside of town at Caprock Canyon State Park!
While most of west Texas is very flat and covered mostly with mesquite bushes, Caprock is a unique section of gorgeous red rock canyons. Throughout this state park you are climbing giant rocks, squeezing into caves, and admiring the bison herds running loose throughout the park. It is one of my kid’s favorite state parks in all of Texas.
Now lets talk indoor activities to escape the colder weather! Lubbock has a large variety of indoor activities for families, there is the Science Spectrum Museum, Texas Tech Museum, Silent Wings Museum, and a ton of entertainment centers with trampolines, arcades, and play villages.
Conclusion:
I have traveled all over and I will say West Texas will almost always be at the bottom of my list as far as the wow factor, but there is more to this desert than meets the eye you just need to know when to visit. Let this be your guide as you plan to explore the vast desert of Texas, so you can enjoy the best it has to offer!
Be sure to check out these other fun towns and things to do while planning your West Texas adventure:
Small-Town Charm: The Best Things to Do in Slaton, Texas
Plainview, Texas: The West Texas Gem You Didn’t Know You Needed to Visit
Family Friendly Things To Do In Fort Stockton, Texas
Day Trip From Midland, Texas: Spending A Day In Andrews, Texas
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