Terlingua, Ghost town in Brewster County, Texas, United States.
Located between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park, Terlingua features adobe ruins, trading company buildings, and mountain range views.
Mercury discovery in the 1880s transformed Terlingua into a mining town with 1000 residents before the Chisos Mining Company declared bankruptcy in 1942.
The first championship chili cook-off started in 1967, evolving into an annual November event that draws over 10,000 participants to this desert location.
The Starlight Theatre Restaurant and Bar, art galleries, and the Terlingua Trading Company provide services for visitors exploring the desert settlement.
The Terlingua Cemetery, established in 1903, contains wooden crosses marking graves of miners who perished in accidents and during the influenza epidemic.
Location: Brewster County
Elevation above the sea: 764 m
GPS coordinates: 29.32167,-103.61611
Latest update: May 28, 2025 18:23
Texas contains natural springs, waterfalls, sand dunes and historic sites. The terrain changes from desert to swampland. The state features mining towns, military forts, Japanese gardens and prehistoric locations. Visitors can explore underwater caves, limestone cliffs, and salt marshes. The area includes Native American quarries, Spanish missions, and 19th-century plantations.
Cañón de Santa Elena Flora and Fauna Protection Area
33.9 km
Big Bend Ranch State Park
57.1 km
Emory Peak
31.4 km
Aguja Formation
11.5 km
Javelina Formation
21.1 km
Luna Jacal
14.3 km
Mariscal Mine
48.7 km
Homer Wilson Ranch
27 km
Persimmon Gap
57.9 km
Rancho Estelle
19 km
Santa Elena Canyon
17.4 km
Sotol Vista Overlook
26.1 km
Santa Elena Canyon Trail
17.2 km
Panther Junction Visitor Center
39.8 km
Panther Junction Mission 66 Historic District
39.8 km
Castolon Historic District
23.1 km
Castolon Ranger Station
23.2 km
Persimmon Gap Entrance Sign
59 km
Chisos Basin Visitor Center
31.2 km
Dugout Wells
47 km
Camel Experiment Exhibit
56.8 km
Starlight Theatre
4.8 km
Castolon Store
23.1 km
Alvino House
23.1 km
Persimmon Gap Entrance Station
57.2 km
Homer Wilson Ranch Overlook
26.7 km
Maverick Entrance Sign
10.8 km
Recreation Building
23.1 kmReviews
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