Overview
Alpine is a city of 6,000 people (2019) in Texas. It has an historic downtown, and is a good base for exploring Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park, and Davis Mountains State Park.
5 sights · 3 things to do · 6 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 6 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Alpine
Museum of the Big Bend
Large collection of artifacts with exhibits on the long history of habitation in the area, from the earliest native tribes up through the Spanish, Mexican, and American eras.
Last Frontier Museum
Exhibits focusing on the geology of the region.
Sul Ross State University
Began as a teachers college in 1920, with its original campus in Alpine. Named for Lawrence Sullivan Ross, a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War, Texas' 19th governor and later president of the …
Brewster County Courthouse
Built in 1887–1888 by Tom Lovett, a local contractor, who apparently designed the buildings, as well (documentation is scarce). Open to visitors, historic photographs are displayed in the great hall. The red brick courth…
Brewster County Jail
Distinguished by a crenelated brick parapet wall, suggesting "a fortress-like impregnability".
Big Bend National Park
One of the least visited national parks in the continental U.S.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Nov–Mar. Summer highs reach about 104°F; winter lows dip to about 36°F. Very hot (Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jul and Sep. (climate data from nearby Big Bend National Park)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- MAF Midland International Air and Space Port, Midland — 139 mi away. Directions
- CNM Cavern City Air Terminal, Carlsbad — 141 mi away. Directions
- ELP El Paso International Airport, El Paso — 189 mi away (major hub). Directions
Alpine has a small general aviation airport, the closest major airports are Midland International, 3 hours 15 minutes away, and El Paso International, about 3½ hours away
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $39–$74 a night (typical $45), from 5 listed prices.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$80, mid-range ~$120, comfortable ~$240.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Last Frontier Museum, Brewster County Jail, Brewster County Courthouse
- Lunch Smokehouse BBQ
- Afternoon Big Bend National Park, Davis Mountains State Park
- Dinner Bread & Breakfast / Bakery & Cafe
- Evening Railroad Blues
Day 2
- Morning Museum of the Big Bend, Sul Ross State University
- Lunch La Casita
- Afternoon Big Bend Ranch State Park
- Dinner Alicia's Burrito Place
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Climate
In the winters, ample sunshine usually warms the days, though the nights can be chilly due to the 4,475 feet (1,360 m) elevation. In the summer, the fierce sun causes hot days, pleasantly relieved in the evening by the same high elevation.
Get in
Alpine has a small general aviation airport, the closest major airports are Midland International, 3 hours 15 minutes away, and El Paso International, about 3½ hours away
By car
Alpine sits at the intersection of US Hwy 67 and 90 and Texas Hwy 118.
- & Ave E & Holland Ave Coming from the east, US Hwy 90 makes for an interesting, scenic drive to Alpine. Plan your fuel stops wisely, as it's possible to go almost 200 miles between cities. US Hwy 90 takes in a couple of all-but-ghost towns along the way, as well as the Trans-Pecos crossing and some breathtaking scenery. US Hwy 67 runs concurrently on US Hwy 90 from Marfa, through Alpine, to its turn-off (at Brewster County Rest Stop) 8.5 mi east of town. US Hwy 67 than continues north towards I-10, 10 mi west of Ft Stockton.
- to N 5th St goes 24 mi northwesterly to TX-17 in Fort Davis. One can continue north on TX-17 to I-10 in Saragosa, from Ft Davis, if going west on I-10. Going south TX-118 goes to Big Bend National Park from Alpine.
- Travelers in more of a hurry may prefer to take Interstate 10 to US Hwy 67 (Exit 248) from Ft Stockton or anywhere east or US Hwy 90 (Exit 140A) from Van Horn (or anywhere further west) straight into Marfa. Likewise one can also exit off at TX-17 from Exit 209 of I-10 to Ft Davis and go southeast/east of from Ft Davis on TX-118 into Alpine (as 5th St).
By train
The tri-weekly Sunset Limited, running between Los Angeles and New Orleans, and the Texas Eagle from Chicago provided by Amtrak serves Alpine via El Paso, Sanderson, Del Rio and San Antonio. The Alpine Amtrak station is at 102 West Holland Avenue, just south of downtown.
By bus
Go All Aboard America
Buses between Presidio and Midland/Odessa via Marfa, Alpine, Ft Stockton, McCamey and Crane along US Hwy 67/385. Connections to Greyhound Lines are in Odessa/Midland and Ft Stockton. Tickets for this route are booked through Greyhound.com.
See
- Historic Downtown Alpine includes many historic buildings constructed in the late 1800s. An informative brochure that describes a walking tour is available from the Information Center visitor's center at 106 N 3rd St +1 432 837-2326.
See Sul Ross State University
Began as a teachers college in 1920, with its original campus in Alpine. Named for Lawrence Sullivan Ross, a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War, Texas' 19th governor and later president of the new land grant college which became Texas A&M, it is now a member of the Texas State University System. The 600-acre main campus on the lower slopes of Hancock Hill contains 20 or so buildings, most designed in Classical Revival style, and all harmoniously faced with red brick and white trim. The hillside gives fine views of the town below and the surrounding mountain ranges.
Sites on National Register of Historic Places
See Brewster County Courthouse
Built in 1887–1888 by Tom Lovett, a local contractor, who apparently designed the buildings, as well (documentation is scarce). Open to visitors, historic photographs are displayed in the great hall. The red brick courthouse is a fine example of the American Second Empire Style. The rectangular mass has five bays of paired round-arch window openings on the longer north and south facades. The shorter east and west facades have three bays. On three facades, the center bay contains a doorway at ground level, set in a thin, barely protruding pavilion. The second-story windows are slightly taller than the first-floor openings, a trick of the eye making the two-and-a-half-story building seem even taller. The walls are topped by a pressed-tin entablature composed of a frieze and cornice. The mansard roof is marked by steeply hipped pyramidal towers with pressed-tin cresting. The interior retains exemplary pressed-tin ceilings and some original woodwork. A wooden staircase with Eastlake-type details rises to the general courtroom on the second floor.
See Brewster County Jail
Distinguished by a crenelated brick parapet wall, suggesting "a fortress-like impregnability".
Do
Do Davis Mountains State Park
High in the mountains of West Texas, formed by volcanoes and sculpted by wind and water, the Davis Mountains rise more than 8,300 feet above sea level out of the Chihuahuan Desert. Miles of hiking trails, backpack, mountain bike, horse riding, camping. Indian Lodge hotel has a restaurant, and a swimming pool for lodge guests.
- Hancock Hill, behind Sul Ross State University, has hiking trails on university and private property. Theere are views of the town and a path to “The Desk”. To find the trailhead: turn left at the end of Avenue B (SRSU Entrance 4). Hancock Hill trailhead is at the far edge of the old Mountainside dormitory parking lot.
Buy
Eat
Budget
Eat Bread & Breakfast / Bakery & Cafe
Mid-range
Splurge
Eat Reata
Great western atmosphere and decor, decent but somewhat overpriced steaks.
Drink
Drink Railroad Blues
This nightclub/bar has live music a few times a week. There is usually a $5-10 cover charge on nights that bands are playing.
Sleep
Go next
Nearby
Fort Davis
City / town · 3 listings · 21 mi away
Marfa
City / town · 15 listings · 22 mi away
Marathon
City / town · 3 listings · 27 mi away
Fort Stockton
City / town · 19 listings · 59 mi away
Presidio
City / town · 4 listings · 69 mi away
Study Butte-Terlingua
City / town · 25 listings · 72 mi away
Pecos
City / town · 11 listings · 74 mi away
Lajitas
City / town · 1 listings · 76 mi away
My experience
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