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Far from the glitz of Dallas and the live music festivals of Austin lies the forlorn yet lovely landscape of West Texas. The rugged region is synonymous with sprawling ranch-lands, outdoor adventure, stunning terrain, and local Texan lore. From jagged rock bluffs and just about all the prickly plants and weeds one can think of, to the wide open stretches under blue skies and country roads which seem to go on forever, West Texas catches the fancy of every traveler. So saddle up in West Texas and let the magnificence of mother nature sink in.
The term “Far West Texas” refers to the region that lies within the Chihuahuan Desert and west of the Pecos River. It is the most arid portion in the ‘Lone Star State’. The Trans-Pecos is renowned for the natural wealth of the Big Bend, the dramatic gorge of the Rio Grande, and plenty of privately owned ranch-lands.
Llano Estacado, commonly known as the Staked Plain, in West Texas extends into the Texas Panhandle region and eastern New Mexico. To the east of the Llano Estacado is vast rolling plains and to the south lies the Edwards Plateau; both of these regions act as a natural boundary between East and West Texas.
The region has lower population density than the state average. Major cities in West Texas are: El Paso, Lubbock, Abilene, Odessa, and San Angelo. While El Paso is famous for Amigo Airsho and Fiesta de las Flores celebrations, Lubbock – the birthplace of music legend Buddy Holly – is famous for typical roadside attractions such as Silent Wings Museum and National Ranching Heritage Center.
An iconic landmark in this region, the Big Bend National Park is an expanse of limestone cliffs and is rife with desert fauna. The Big Bend Ranch State Park offers a wide range of recreational dwellings like backpacking, hiking, and fishing. One of the best way to experience the region is by paddling into the tall canyons on the Rio Grande.
Other popular things to do in West Texas include swimming in San Solomon Springs, driving down Pinto Canyon Road to Chinati Mountain, watching bird-life and mountain lions in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, and attending the West Texas Fair and Rodeo, which is held annually around mid-September, in Abilene.
Cities and towns of West Texas
| S.N | City | County | Population Estimates Census 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Paso | El Paso County | 674,433 |
| 2 | Lubbock | Lubbock County | 239,538 |
| 3 | Amarillo | Potter County | 196,429 |
| 4 | Midland | Midland County | 123,933 |
| 5 | Abilene | Taylor County | 120,099 |
| 6 | Odessa | Ector County | 110,720 |
| 7 | San Angelo | Tom Green County | 97,492 |
| 8 | Socorro | El Paso County | 32,517 |
| 9 | Big Spring | Howard County | 28,125 |
| 10 | Horizon City | El Paso County | 18,997 |
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