Haunted Hangouts - A West Texas Roadtrip

Haunted West Texas Roadtrip!

Howdy, paranormal peeps! Its time to get ready for a spooky adventure through the spooky and haunted landscapes of West Texas. This haunted road trip itinerary will take you to the town of Marathon, then continuing on to Alpine, Marfa, and then my favorite…..Terlingua of course! This entire itinerary is less than 200 miles but it is PACKED with history and ghost stories. If you are thinking about doing something different for your summer vacay……this is it!!

Gage Hotel in Marathon

Stop 1: Marathon, TX

You might think this town is on the verge of becoming a ghost town with a population of 386. In reality, this town offers a unique experience to those looking for something a little different. Established in 1882, Marathon is the second largest town in Brewster County. The town, thanks to the railroad, became a shipping and supply point for area. The first Mexican-American school to provide English classes was held in a private home, but the Hidalgo Ward School was built in 1910 for Mexican-Americans. A variety of industries came in and out of the area including rubber and oil. None of them lasted very long after it was determined that local resources were not as robust as originally thought.

We arrived in Marathon and checked into a lovely room at the historic Gage Hotel. Alfred Gage arrived from Vermont seeking the promise and prosperity of the ranching opportunities available in Texas. Mr. Gage decided to build a hotel since Marathon didn’t have lodging to offer travelers passing through. The hotel opened its doors in April 1927 but, sadly, Mr. Gage would pass away just a year after his beloved hotel opened.

The hotel continued to serve the community however the population and visitors would decrease until the hotel largely stood empty. It had a precarious future until J.P. Bryan purchased the hotel in 1978.  He lovingly and painstakingly restored the hotel so that now you can enjoy a lovely and relaxing stay in this West Texas gem.

Built in 1926, it is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a lovesick bride from the 1920s. You might see a ghost or two out on the porch, strolling through the gardens, and roaming the hallways. Rooms 10 and 39 are supposedly the most "active" spots in the hotel however I found stories of paranormal activity throughout the hotel. We walked the beautiful grounds of the hotel and met interesting guests enjoying a bottle of wine at the firepit. There were packages with everything you need to make smores available at the fire pit too (a nice touch!).

Holland Hotel in Alpine

Stop 2: Alpine, TX

The town of Alpine was established in 1882 however it really began earlier when cattlemen lived in tents near their herds in the area beginning in 1878. For a brief time, the town was known as Osborne however the name was later changed to Alpine. By the late 1880s, Alpine had a dozen or so homes, a hotel, a post office, three saloons, a rooming house, a store, a livery stable, and a butcher shop.

Alpine was a thriving community and had a burst of growth when Sul Ross State Normal College (now Sul Ross State University) was built. The college, added to ranching and the railroad industries in the area, made Alpine the center of activities in the Big Bend area.

Built in 1928 by J.R. Holland, the Holland Hotel has 27 rooms that are well appointed and comfortable. We had a nice room at one end of the hall on the 2nd floor that looked out upon the street below. The hotel closed in late 1960s, there were multiple attempts at reopening, then the Greenwich Hospital Group became the last to acquire and restore it.

The hotel is allegedly haunted with guests reporting hearing footsteps, disembodied voices, and the scent of tobacco. Front desk staff told me they often hear things in the area behind the front desk, even when they are the only ones working. Our experiences during our stay include hearing movement in our room before we even opened the door, and hearing items moving on the dresser during the night. I checked with the front desk and discovered that the rooms on either side of our room were empty. The sounds we were hearing were at least not from people in those rooms.

Stop 3: Marfa, Texas!

Now we move on to the mysterious town of Marfa! Marfa, the county seat of Presidio County, was established in 1883 as a water stop for the Galveston, Harrisburg, and San Antonio Railway. By 1930 Marfa had grown to nearly 4,000 residents. During the 1940s, the government built a prisoner of war camp nearby as well as the Marfa Army Air Field ten miles east of Marfa. The military installations closed the next year.

James Dean room

James Dean room balcony

Marfa Lights viewing center

An art exhibit

This quaint town is known for the Marfa Lights, Hotel Paisano (the film location for James Dean’s final picture, Giant, with Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor), and its artistic community. Built in 1930, a large number of customers of the hotel during the 1930s and 1940s were cattle ranchers who came to Marfa to buy and sell their herds.

The hotel changed hands over the years and joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The hotel was abandoned in 2001 and the building fell into a state of disrepair. It sold at a tax auction and the hotel was re-established later that year.

My daughter and I stayed in the James Dean room while my friends stayed in the Dennis Hopper suite. The Hopper is a great 2 bed/2 bath suite with 2 living areas. We used it as our “party central” since they were just down the hall from our room. The gift shop downstairs has a lot to offer those who like to shop.

There are a variety of paranormal reports from staff and guests alike. Guests report seeing a woman in a white dress and the spirit of an old man around the property. The woman seen on the second floor may have been the victim of homicide. My daughter and I did not experience anything in our room that I am aware of.

Stop 4: Terlingua, TX

Our final destination on this haunted road trip is the ghost town of Terlingua. Ranchers moved into the Big Bend area to raise livestock and, by the late 1890s, the discovery of mercury (also known as quicksilver), brought mining operations as an economic force for the region. The Chisos Mining Company, was established in 1903 in Terlingua by Chicago businessman Howard E. Perry. For the next three decades, the Chisos Mining Company was one of the nation’s leading producers of quicksilver.

World War I brought increased demand for quicksilver allowing the company to enter its most successful period. At its peak, employees were able to enjoy a company-owned commissary, a hotel, a school, a company doctor, an established water supply, telephone service, mail delivery, and several homes. Production began to decline in the late 1930s and the company filed for bankruptcy in October 1942.

The old Perry School

Our bubble at Basecamp Terlingua

One of many ruins in Terlingua

Our bubble at night

You can freely explore the ruins of the Terlingua Ghost Town. Many guests have reported spirits (thought to be from the days of the Chisos Mining Company) roaming freely among the decaying structures. If you are feeling a little bit adventurous, stay at Perry Mansion where guests have reported paranormal activity. Guests have reported seeing shadows, hearing voices and footsteps, and the apparition of a man on the 2nd floor thought to be a disgruntled employee from the mining company.

On our first visit we split our time between the first floor of Perry Mansion in the La Fonda suite, then moving on to staying in a bubble at Basecamp Terlingua. While my family and I did not experience paranormal activity (that we know of) at Perry Mansion, we enjoyed the comfortable room.

Me in full makeup for Dia de los Muertos 2022.

Dia de los Muertos

I absolutely recommend attending the Dia de los Muertos that occurs November 2nd in the historic cemetery. Candles are placed on ALL graves giving it the beautifully eerie ambiance you see in my photos. It is not scary or spooky so don’t hesitate to bring the family. You can bring photos of your deceased loved ones to place on one of the altars, meet visitors from all over, enjoy music and food, and celebrate the lives of those who have gone on before us. My husband loved Terlingua so I took photos of him so he could be included in the celebration. I believe he approves. R.I.P. my sweet hubby.

Optional stop 5: Cross over to Boquillas, Mexico from Terlingua

If you have a passport, bring it and run over to the village of Boquillas, Mexico. You have to cross at the Boquillas Crossing Port of Entry (operated by the National Park Service and U.S. Customs and Border Protection) within the Big Bend National Park.

For $5 you can be taken across the river by boat or you can walk over if you don’t mind walking through the river (I do not recommend). Once you cross over, you can walk to the village, or you can pay to be taken by truck or by horse. Once in town, there are a couple of restaurants and shops, and plenty of residents selling goods from tables in front of their homes. YOU MUST HAVE A PASSPORT to cross.

Old school in Toyah, TX

Lobo, TX

Inside the school in Toyah

Lobo, TX

If you have extra time, you can visit a couple of ghost towns not far from Marfa: Lobo and Toyah. Within the Big Bend National Park are several ruins including an old store front from the days of the Chisos Mining Company. West Texas offers a glimpse into an interesting past and I recommend you not rush through it. Keep your cameras handy and your ghost-hunting gear charged up. You may need it more than you think! This road trip will be one for the books! Happy haunting, y'all! 🌵👻