FUN
CHINATI FOUNDATION
1 Cavalry Row
Marfa, TX 79843
432-729-4362
While in Marfa, we highly recommend taking a tour at the Chinati Foundation. The tours are offered Wednesday through Sunday on a reservation basis only and you can choose from the full tour, lasting 6 hours, or the selections tour, lasting about 2 hours. We recommend taking the selections tour on Saturday before the festivities begin. Admission is $10-25 and be sure to make a reservation.
The Chinati Foundation is very much responsible for how and why Marfa has become the destination it has. Located on 340 acres on the site of a former military outpost, Fort D.A. Russell, The Chinati Foundation is a contemporary art museum that presents permanent large-scale installations by a Donald Judd and a limited number of other artists. The emphasis is on works in which art and the surrounding landscape are inextricably linked.
JUDD FOUNDATION
104 S Highland
Marfa, TX 79843
432-729-4406 ext 103
Also recommended are the Judd Foundation tours. Tours are available Wednesday through Sunday. All tickets must be purchased online prior to your visit. They do accept walk-in visitors on a limited basis only if space is available.
Judd Foundation maintains and preserves Donald Judd’s permanently installed living and working spaces, libraries and archives in New York City and Marfa, Texas, and embody the artist’s philosophies about his art and permanent installation.
CHINATI HOT SPRINGS
Box 67 Candelaria Route
Marfa, Texas 79843
432.229.4165
An oasis nestled deep in the Chinati Mountains of West Texas, The Chinati Hot Springs offer a peaceful atmosphere for people to de-stress and discover the restorative waters of this natural spring. Flowing from the ground at approximately 110 degrees, the waters contain lithium, arsenic, and a variety of other natural healing minerals that will help you relax and rejuvenate. You can also check out the amazing scenery and wildlife with trails for hiking and mountain biking throughout the property.
BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK
Big Bend includes mountain, desert, and river environments. An hour’s drive can take you from the banks of the Rio Grande to a mountain basin nearly a mile high. Here, you can explore one of the last remaining wild corners of the United States, and experience unmatched sights, sounds, and solitude.
Big Bend is about a 2 hour drive from Marfa.
BIG BEND RANCH STATE PARK
Trails provide the only means of accessing many areas within Big Bend Ranch State Park, and allow visitors an intimate rapport with the outdoors. Ultimately the park will boast 65 routes comprising 236 miles of interconnected trails. The system strives to capture the spirit of the land by offering trails that are scenic and educational, and offers varying levels of accessibility and challenge to people of all ages and abilities.
MARFA LIGHTS
The Marfa lights, also known as the Marfa mystery lights, have been observed near U.S. Route 57 on Mitchell Flat east of Marfa, TX. Research suggests that most, if not all, are atmospheric reflections of automobile headlights and campfires, but some have been attributed to paranormal phenomenon.
MARFA BOOK COMPANY
105 South Highland
Marfa, Texas 79843
432.729.3906
A fantastic book store in the heart of Marfa.
TERLINGUA GHOST TOWN
Once an abandoned mining village, the Ghost town is now the center of a charming desert community. Countless authors, artists, poets and musicians have conveyed some of the magic of this desert paradise, but it’s best to experience it for yourself. As Texas ghost towns go, we think this is about as good as it gets.
MARFA GOLF COURSE
Farm Road 1112 Golf Course Road
Marfa, TX 79843
915.729.4043
For all the golfers, head over to Marfa Municipal Golf Course, a 9 hole public course.
MARFA GLIDERS
Marfa Municipal Airport
Highway 17
Marfa, TX
Call for an appointment: 800-667-9464
Marfa is famous for its excellent soaring conditions and has attracted pilots and enthusiasts since 1960. Several national contests have been held here and Marfa hosted the World Soaring Championship in 1970. The legendary soaring conditions with strong thermal updrafts are a result of the sunny weather and scenic mountain ranges.