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    Terlingua Ranch Lodge

    3.8 (31 reviews)
    InexpensiveResorts, Souvenir Shops
    Open 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    From the Lodge to Terlingua.  Add another 20 minutes just to drive slow on the crazy rough gravel road to the Lodge.
    Steve D.

    If you're staying here thinking you're staying in Terlingua proper, you're not. It's an hour drive to the "center" of Terlingua. And actually when we put the Lodge's address into GPS it gave us an Alpine address. So the name is misleading. If you're using this as a base camp for visiting Big Bend, it's about an hour and half to Panther Junction. Add an additional 20 minutes to the drive times given by Google Maps, the last three miles are probably the worst gravel road I've ever encountered (big rocks, washboard and washouts). So if you have a nice car or would rather not have to pay for a new front-end alignment, I'd avoid this place. We had a two night reservation here, but didn't return for the second night solely because of the road. Other than that, the place is pretty plain-jane. And noisy, our cabin was a four-plex and the neighbors were up early to get to Big Bend. There's spotty cell service here and we could never connect to the wifi. Not really worth what they were charging.

    View from cabin 44
    marian r.

    If you want an escape from daily life , this is a nice quiet spot to come to. No cell phone service but WiFi. Nothing beats hanging at the Chihuahuan desert. We stayed in the cabins. There is also RV parking. The cabins have a small dorm size fridge , no kitchen. The bad rabbit cafe is open for all three meals and on weekend evenings there is musical entertainment. There is an airstrip if you prefer to come in your plane. Otherwise the last 3 miles to get to the ranch are unpaved and a bit bumpy and you are asked to go ( sign says 25mph)

    Just a fair warning to anyone who stays here, I initially stayed in room 41 and when I arrived here I was welcomed by a bed full of bugs. Both beds in our lodge were covered in them! They were also crawling all over the walls. I had to stay with a friend who was a few lodges down for the night. The next day I called and explained the situation, I was offered another lodge but I did not receive any form of apology. The second lodge I received was bug free but had zero hot water. My friends that stayed a few lodges down from me had no issues with theirs so it must've been luck of the draw but just wanted to share my experience so others can be wary of what to expect.

    At the ranch
    Austin S.

    First time staying in Big Bend area and wife picked here. The Ranch is way off the beaten path but for good reason. It's at the base of the mountain range which is beautiful at sunrise and sunset but best of all is that this area is a no noise pollution area which means you can see millions of stars and it's just amazing. Room was comfy and have no complaints.

    Sunset from our porch!!

    We selected this sight unseen and unfamiliar with the area for our Big Bend stay, and we could not have been more pleased. Clean rooms and incredible views. They have a cafe on the premises but it is not open Sunday and Monday so plan accordingly. Good restaurants in Terlingua or there is a small fridge to bring your own food.

    Pool
    Dan G.

    If we could give this place 10 Stars we would. Bill is Amazing!!! From the 1st phone call to book our site, to check in, to our entire trip he went way above and beyond for us and everyone who was staying there or passing through. He even watched our bags for us while we were out at Big Bend hiking the days away. The pool is cold and refreshing, the showers are warm and good pressure and the Bad Rabbit cafe was definitely one of my wife's favorite parts of the trip. We have traveling for 5 months, have been all over the US and this place absolutely was one of the best experiences. Great job Bill & staff. You Rock!!!

    Great Mountain View's!

    We just finished our stay here and absolutely loved it! The ranch was beautiful, clean and fun! The staff was extremely helpful, especially Bill at the front. They gave us great hike recommendations and were welcoming. While we stayed there the was a live band (so fun!!!) it was a bit of a drive to Big Bend (about 30 miles) but definitely worth it! I would most definitely stay there again.

    Alden C.

    If you want to canoe the Rio Grande, explore the deserty mountain delights of West Texas, and get a feel for true rural living, take a little trip to Terlingua Ranch Resort. Referred to as "the ranch" by locals, the pool at the resort is a hoppin' spot for tourists and residents alike. Between the dry heat and the rugged terrain, this is one place that stands out as an oasis in a sea of dirt roads and pickup trucks. You'll be staying in a little cabin, fairly outdated, but the window A/C units do the trick to cool you down. The beauty of this place is its remote, 16-miles-off-the-highway location coupled with the jaw-dropping scenery. A friend and I came here during a West Texas road trip that began in Ft Davis/ Marfa, and ended with us in Terlingua. We went canoeing and hiking along the Rio Grande and LOVED it. There is hardly any cell signal in these parts, so don't expect to be tweeting and Yelping throughout your trip (but, of course, that made it even more fun and adventure-y)... One word of warning: flash floods are the real deal here. Do NOT attempt to drive on the rough roads post-rain unless you have a tough SUV or truck. We made that mistake and ended up stuck, in the desert, in the dark, in the mud, with no cell phone signal. But, all in all, I absolutely recommend staying here. Just don't drive a low to the group convertible - you might just get stuck!

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    Ask the Community - Terlingua Ranch Lodge

    Review Highlights - Terlingua Ranch Lodge

    The restaurant is The Bad Rabbit Cafe and it is open for all three meals and is great.

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    Terlingua Trading Company - This bomb @ aombrerito

    Terlingua Trading Company

    4.2(13 reviews)
    16.2 mi
    $

    While the outside of this store is hardly enticing it is a shopper's dream inside…read more Yes it carries the usual tourist stuff such as magnets, T-shirt's, etc but it also has a decent wine selection, kids toys that don't require electricity or batteries, coffee beans and Turkish dishes. Yes Turkish dishware which BTW is beautiful. Apparently the owner went to Turkey for a wedding (lucky person) and decided to import some in. I picked up a few pieces because the local Turkish store by me in LA fails to put prices on items wishing customers to barter for prices which is a drag! Stop in! Well worth it!

    Small (understated) shop of Terlingua area trinkets - all kinds…read more Inside the store of various rooms, you will find a plethora of stuff. There is a small museum speaking to the history of the mining community, but when you walk in the entire store could be history of Terlingua and the surrounding area. This trade store has gifts for everyone. If you're looking to dress up your Xmas tree they have that. Looking for a hat (sombrero, trucker, cowboy), they got it. If you're looking for wine or hot sauce, they have it. They have a small book store. so the selection is huge and varied. I truly believe you can find any kind of gift in here for all your folks. When we went there it was later, after dinner at the Starlight Theater next door - so, there wasn't a lot of help at this store. I wouldn't say that the prices are entirely bargain, but they are not surprising. Liz picked up some cute earrings and some stickers. It's a nice place to find whatever you might gift to anybody. if you're in the Terlingua Ghost Town, you should stop in.

    Photos
    Terlingua Trading Company - Relics

    Relics

    Terlingua Trading Company - Boots in the museum

    Boots in the museum

    Terlingua Trading Company - T-shirts of celebrities

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    T-shirts of celebrities

    Candelilla Cafe & Thirsty Goat Saloon

    Candelilla Cafe & Thirsty Goat Saloon

    2.9(51 reviews)
    26.5 mi

    The food here is excellent!…read more The Candelilla Cafe is a great place all the way around. We had both Dinner and Breakfast here and could not have been happier with our meals, the service, and the setting. An unlikely place to find a great Salmon dish I know, being in the dessert and all, but it was really tasty and perfectly prepared! Eating dinner and watching the beautiful sunset was an amazing experience. Breakfast was equally matched by the quality and preperation of the food, and seeing the beautiful sunrise! No complaints about this place e at all, wonderful experience!

    My husband and I live in Alpine and often like to visit Terlingua as a day trip to get out of town…read moreand enjoy the scenic drives. We decided to stop and eat at the Candelilla restaurant as we have so many times before in the past years. They must have new management and have changed their policies because we were ever so rudely turned away. They asked if we were guest of the resort, of course we said no and so they proceeded to tell us that they do not take non-resort guests after 5 pm. Looking into the restaurant, there was literally no guest dining. I don't know how they expect to make any money turning away people when they have no guest. I don't know how any server can make a living when there is no one to serve. They said we were welcome to the bar. I was not looking to drink. I was looking to have a nice meal with my husband. This is not only frustrating as a paying customer looking for a decent meal but is very sad and poor management. Like I said, I have never had this issue in the past years. We ended up spending our hard earned money at the Starlight who welcomed us with open arms. After telling our waitress that we tried going to the Candelilla, she laughed and said, "Oh yea, they don't take any locals or tourist. If you are not a golfer then they will send you packing. But that's ok because we don't mind the extra business and we will gladly take Lajitas' money." WOW no other words. Be warned transient drivers, weary tourist looking for a nice dinner, or just one of the locals you are not welcome at Lajitas Candelilla Cafe. What a shame after all these years. The Starlight was welcoming, amazing staff, great food, and will gladly take your "Lajitas' money."

    Photos
    Candelilla Cafe & Thirsty Goat Saloon
    Candelilla Cafe & Thirsty Goat Saloon - Outside

    Outside

    Candelilla Cafe & Thirsty Goat Saloon - Inside

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    Inside

    Lajitas Zip-Line - Flying through the air near Big Bend! Register at the activities desk at Lajitas Golf Resort.

    Lajitas Zip-Line

    4.9(10 reviews)
    26.5 mi

    This was a really fun activity and I thought a good value for the price. It's obvious they are…read morefocused on safety and I felt comfortable at all times. The guides, Christina and Jack, communicated well with us and answered all questions and helped everyone along the way. The only drawback was that they schedule people together who have chosen a different package. So since we chose the smaller package (3 rides), we had to wait around for the people to finish who had chosen 5 rides. I understand this is likely done due to staffing limitations but I would highly suggest making customers aware that they may be stuck up on a mountain waiting for someone else to finish their rides. To be fair, it was about an extra 30 minutes, and we were not on a schedule, but still I was a little annoyed that we weren't aware of that prior to leaving. Once our rides were over, I was ready to leave and get some lunch. We did tip the guides because of course they aren't responsible for scheduling. Overall I would recommend this as a good option when in the area.

    Excellent experience zip lining with this wonderful team, who are super friendly and knowledgeable…read more The lines are really fun with incredible views over different canyons. Some lines are unique for length and others for speed. We did the 4-line advanced package and would recommend it to anyone. Some of our peers had never done anything too adventurous before but felt really safe here. The lines have an electric brake so you don't self-brake - allowing my focus on taking in the sights rather than on timing. This team does a wonderful job of giving you the basics and answering any questions, but also allowing the experience to be natural.

    Photos
    Lajitas Zip-Line - Logo

    Logo

    Lajitas Zip-Line
    Lajitas Zip-Line

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    Big Bend Travel Park

    Big Bend Travel Park

    2.5(4 reviews)
    16.1 mi

    The Rocky Mountain News in Denver best described the Big Bend Travel Park as no ambiance but great…read morelogistics. This is so true as we stayed here for 5 nights over Thanksgiving. This motel/travel park is the closest to the west entrance of Big Bend. It is the next best thing if you cannot get into the Chisnos Mountain lodge. As I have read in other reviews, it is the best of the worst. It has a gas station with the cheapest gas of our trip, a laundry mat, and cafe. A new owner has taken over and things are getting spruced up. The rooms are clean, comfortable, and nice sized. We had a king room and our friends had one of the duplexes so that we could make breakfast and lunch. I highly suggest getting the two bedroom, one bath duplex as there is not much in Terlinqua. Be sure to shop before you get into town; there are grocery stores but they are very small. Our rooms overlooked the RV park but in the distance we could see the beautiful Texas sunsets. And every night we could hear the javalinas running through the tent section in search of forgotten treats. Also, Indian Head road runs along the side of the resort and offers some great star gazing if you stroll past the lights of the hotel.

    Mr.: mediocre breakfast buffet and horrible service/server. It was an inconvenience to her to get a…read morerefill for my coffee. Whatever you do, don't ask if they have a latte or cappuccino because you'll get laughed at. Ms.: waitress was awful. She seemed to know the regulars but she was so darn rude to us and other visitors. If you thanked her for bringing you your food or drink, she wouldn't say "you're welcome" or acknowledge you at all. I made the mistake of asking if they had a cappuccino; she gave this loud, derisive laugh that embarrassed me. That was a no. My boyfriend kindly asked I he could have a refill to his coffee (great service is when you don't even have to ask), there was a long pause, she kind of huffed/breathed and said "in a minute" in a very off-put tone. This is one of the few times I would not leave a tip at a restaurant. I don't know what her problem is but the bland food was not good enough to offset being treated like dirt. For a tiny town thy depends on tourists, you'd think there would be some small town hospitality. Nope

    Terlingua Ranch Lodge - resorts - Updated August 2026

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