Mary S. Black - From the Frio to Del Rio: Travel Guide to the Western Hill Country and the Lower Pecos Canyonlands

Southwest Texas

Southwest Texas spreads out in the glow of sunset. Photo by Thomas C. Self.

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Introduction to Southwest Texas

Most of Southwest Texas is off the beaten path, but the region offers visitors some of the most striking scenery in the state with spring-fed rivers, twisting limestone canyons, and soaring hilltop vistas. The region also offers unforgettable outdoor adventures for travelers in Texas. Camping, fishing, and hunting are some of the most popular activities, but visitors can also explore prehistoric Native American rock art and historic forts that protected the frontier. There are ghost towns to discover and canyons to hike. Visitors can splash into water sports and empty dust out of their boots all in the same day. Whether you are riding the Twisted Sisters on your motorcycle or blasting full-throttle out US 90 toward Big Bend, youll find plenty of reasons to stop and appreciate the trail in this guide.

Southwest Texas as conceived here is a small region spanning some 125 miles east to west and 75 miles north to south. It begins about 50 miles west of San Antonio along the Sabinal River, one of a series of south-flowing, spring-fed rivers draining the western Edwards Plateau. Heading west, one encounters the Sabinal, Frio, Nueces, Devils, and Pecos Rivers, each flowing southward.

For travelers, Southwest Texas lies to the south of I-10 and north of US 90. The easternmost town is Utopia on the Sabinal River, and the westernmost is Langtry on the Rio Grande not far from its junction with the Pecos River. There are only three small cities in the region, Uvalde, Eagle Pass, and Del Rio, all on the southern edge.

Fewer than 200,000 people live in Southwest Texas, which is largely rural. The modern settling of Southwest Texas started with a string of US Army forts in 1849.