Spend all semester cooped up on campus? Or maybe you’ve just been in Austin too long and seen it all. You may be surprised to know that Austin is not the only gem in Texas. While our home here is a mecca for food, art, and beautiful landscapes only a few hours away you will find Marfa and Big Bend. This spring break two of my closest friends and I hopped in a car and made are way to New Mexico, stopping in small Texas towns in between. Terilingua, Texas, home of Big Bend National Park was our first stop. The park, made up of 800,000 acres of nature’s best views, maintains 118 miles of recreational trail. Driving into the massive park was an experience in itself. The road was laden with sights of massive rock formations, canyons, and never ending skies- it was remarkable. It is a shame that even the clarity of an iPhone camera cannot adequately capture the majesty of the park. Actually, our phones couldn’t do much upon entering the park: no signal, no GPS, no social media, and not even our cameras.

Big Bend National Park

Smoky Creek Trail

Our next stop was only two hours away, Marfa, Texas. The town is an artist’s oasis niched in the middle of the West Texas desert. Both outdoor and indoor installations are sprinkled around the small town along with a landscape of cacti, tumbleweeds, and striated rock formations. Not many franchised establishments can be found around here. The true uniqueness can only be experienced in person – our photos did not come close to capturing the town’s artistry. iPhones have changed the game by capturing every moment and providing a medium to organize and revisit memories at the touch of a button. Photos, videos, locations, and google searches for our 5 day trip were all made possible by the iPhone.

Ballroom Marfa- Art Space

El Cosmico Campground