When the city of Alpine claims to be the center of your Big Bend adventure, believe them.

To the north you’ll find history, gorgeous scenery, and a great observatory in Fort Davis. To the west are the galleries of Marfa, to the east are Marathon’s shops and historic hotel. To the south are Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. But you don’t want to just pass through town—stay a while. Alpine has more to offer than you might think.

“Alpine is a destination in and of itself,” says Martha Latta, president of the Greater Alpine Chamber of Commerce. “We have something going on all the time.”

Consider that these are just some of the more prominent events that happen here every year: the Big Bend Livestock Show in January, Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering in February, Trappings of Texas cowboy gear and art each April, Big Bend Gem and Mineral Show in April, Cinco de Mayo in May, Fourth of July Celebration, Viva Big Bend music fest in July, Big Bend Ranch Rodeo in August, Big Bend Gun and Knife Show on Labor Day weekend, National Intercollegiate Rodeo in October, Artwalk in November, and Mountain Country Christmas in December.

Like baseball? Check out Kokernot Field, styled after Chicago’s Wrigley Field and home to the Sul Ross State University Lobos and the Alpine High School Bucks. The Alpine Cowboys, a minor league professional team, also play here from May through August. The Cowboys were recent Pecos League champs.

The Theatre of the Big Bend showcases several plays throughout the year and it’s been doing so for more than 50 years.

Martha also points out that the city has music in several venues. In fact, you never know who you might hear here, local or renowned.

“Many big-name bands use Alpine as a way station between Nashville and the west coast,” she explains.

Alpine hosts many rodeos, which is only appropriate since Sul Ross here is one of the few universities in the country where you can major in rodeo. And the university is the birthplace of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.

And the university offers plays and several other events throughout the year.

Sul Ross is also where you will find the Museum of the Big Bend, a place everyone should visit because it provides you with everything you need to know while visiting the Big Bend of Texas.

Since 1925 it has highlighted both the natural history and human history of the area. One of its most famous exhibits is the quetzalcoatlus northropi, a flying reptile from more than 100 million years ago that had a wingspan of more than 36 feet making it the largest known flying creature of all time.

Want some exercise? Go find The Desk. Some Sul Ross students looking for solitude back in the early 1980s dragged a desk up Hancock Hill overlooking the university. Go check it out.

Spend any time in Alpine and you will see and hear trains. Lots of trains. Most of the trains will be pulling freight, but Amtrak runs through here regularly and Alpine is one of their stops along a long, lonesome east-west run.

Amtrak’s Alpine stop led to one of the city’s top nightspots.

While traveling from the Marquesas Islands to Guatamala in 1999, Harry Mois, owner of Harry’s Tinaja, got off the train in Alpine because he wanted to get new glasses. He’s still here.

“It took 10 days to get my glasses,” Harry said. “I found the elevation was good, I could breathe, and the people were so friendly, so I stayed.”

Downtown Alpine is full of art galleries and boutiques where you can find everything from arts and crafts to antiques to rocks and gems. You can even find vinyl records. And it has one of the best independent bookstores in Texas.

Stroll along Holland Avenue, the main street in town, and check out all the murals painted on sides of buildings.

One unique place you’ll find in Alpine is The Stable, a huge garage that features high performance cars, especially Shelby Mustangs.

The Stable features Terlingua Racing Team merchandise, automotive detailing and various services, even a couple of vehicles for sale.

Owner Dave Durant retired to Alpine and had his own car collection, but people kept banging on the door to the garage to see his cars so he opened The Stable.

“I could have lived anywhere in the U.S.,” Dave says with a smile. “But why?”

Alpine, population 9,232, is the seat of Brewster County, the largest county in Texas. How large is it? Well, at 6,192 square miles it’s larger than some northeastern states like Connecticut or Delaware and Rhode Island combined. And the reason it is named Alpine is all around. The city sits at 4,475 feet with mountains more than a mile high everywhere you look.

“Most people don’t even know Texas has mountains,” Martha explains. “We’re surrounded by them. When you’re here you get to avoid the hot and muggy heat and because of our incredibly dark skies you see lots of stars at night.”

Remarkably, in a county of this size, Alpine is its only city. And it’s so laid back it doesn’t even have traffic lights.

“Stop in Alpine and return to a slower and easier pace of life,” Martha says. “You can’t be in a hurry when you get here.”

For More Information

432-837-2326 www.AlpineTexasGuide.com.