Located near the center of the reserve, Alpine is the largest city in the reserve with a population of around 6,000 people. Alpine is home to Sul Ross State University, the Museum of the Big Bend, numerous hotels and restaurants, and more. Alpines location at the “Heart of the Big Bend” makes it an ideal base to explore the surrounding area.

Located near the Davis Mountains and McDonald Observatory, the small town of Fort Davis is the highest town in Texas at an elevation of over 5,000 feet. Within the town is the namesake fort, now a National Historic Site, as well as numerous hotels, restaurants, and stores along the rustic main street and beyond.

The small, eclectic town of Marfa is known as an arts hub and is home to numerous galleries and museums, including the Chinati Foundation. Explore the historic town center, or head out into the nearby desert at night to catch a glimpse of the famous “Marfa Lights”.

The tiny town of Valentine, home to fewer than 200 people, is located in the wide open grasslands of west Jeff Davis County. The town is best known for its annual Valentine’s Day celebration, as well as the “Prada Marfa” art installation.

An oasis in the desert, the small town of Balmorhea, population 600, is known for nearby Balmorhea Lake and Balmorhea State Park. The spring-fed pool at the state park is an ideal place to swim year-round. Located near the northern border of the Reserve, Balmorhea serves as a gateway to dark skies.

Marathon, population 410, is known as “Where the Big Bend and Dark Skies meet”. The town is home to several unique hotels and restaurants, and is a gateway to explore Big Bend National Park and other areas.

Although sometimes described as a ghost town, today the historic mining community of Terlingua is anything but dead. Within Terlingua and neighboring Study Butte are several restaurants and hotels, as well as a wide range of options for lodging, camping, or “glamping” in the surrounding desert. Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park border the communities.

The border town of Presidio is an ideal place stay or eat before exploring historic Fort Leaton, or the vast, rugged interior of Big Bend Ranch State Park. To the north of Presidio is the ghost town of Shafter and the Chinati mountains. Presidio is also the gateway to Ojinaga, Mexico, and the Mexican portion of the reserve.