Prickly pear, Big Bend Region. Photo by Richard Reynolds
Information Center
Regional Weather
| Month | Del Rio | El Paso |
|---|---|---|
| Avg. Temperature (f°) | ||
| January | 51 | 45 |
| February | 56 | 51 |
| March | 64 | 57 |
| April | 71 | 65 |
| May | 78 | 74 |
| June | 83 | 82 |
| July | 85 | 83 |
| August | 85 | 81 |
| September | 80 | 75 |
| October | 71 | 65 |
| November | 60 | 53 |
| December | 52 | 45 |
| Sunshine Days | 227 | 293 |
Fast ‘n’ Fun Facts
- The Apache Mountains, in Culberson County, are located in country that was the last stronghold of the Apache Indians in Texas.
- Texas was annexed to the United States as the 28th state on December 29, 1845.
- Corpus Christi de la Isleta, established near El Paso in 1682, was the first Spanish mission and pueblo in Texas.
Big Bend. Palo Duro Canyon. Marathon. Fort Davis. Just the names of the cities and attractions of Big Bend Country evoke images of long days, restful nights, tumbleweeds, campfires, and cowboys–what many people imagine when they think of Texas. The Rio Grande, bending like an old tree in the midst of the Chihuahuan Desert and the Chisos and Davis Mountains, gave this piece of Texas its name.
The Big Bend’s Spanish and Indian history–and its location on the Mexican border–gives the region an infusion of Old World culture and tradition. Add rugged terrain, breathtaking sunsets, and the area’s natural beauty, and it’s easy to see why there are more than a million visitors each year
Pop in The Devil’s Swing: Ballads from the Big Bend Country of the Texas-Mexican Border compact disc for inspiration on your travels here. It won’t be long before you get a yen to cook up a big pot of cowboy beans, kick off your boots, and simply gaze up at a million stars.
In El Paso, just minutes from the Mexican border, Indian, Spanish, Mexican, and American peoples reflect the diversity of the city’s culture, and a host of museums, attractions, and restaurants celebrate its heritage. The quirky towns that dot the area–Marfa, Marathon, Terlingua, Wink, and others–are renowned for their art galleries, offbeat characters, spirit of the Old West, the glory days of oil discovery, and, in some cases, luxury in the middle of rugged desert and mountains. Explore the charms of small Western towns, hole up in a remote cabin, take a hiking trip, or just relax at a cool hotel–but don’t miss Big Bend.
Talkin’ about Texas...with Linda Sweatt
“We have a good percentage of return because people enjoy it here. Odessa is the gateway to Big Bend–and there are direct flights from Austin and Houston. We have very reasonable hotels and great properties with breakout rooms and banquet space. Big Bend is a completely different part of Texas that you have to see to believe.”
–Linda Sweatt, director of the Odessa Convention and Visitors Bureau