Stanton, TX - Texas Sign"Texas" sign on an old building in Stanton, Martin County, Texas. Photo by Carol Highsmith.

We stopped for some family time with Kathy's sister Deb in the Dallas area over the weekend, then Tuesday we rushed to the southwest in an attempt to outrun Mother Nature. Yes, occasionally Winter does arrive in this part of the state, and it was hot on our heels. In fact, as we left, they were already starting to salt the highways and interstates. Thought we would get some great photo ops on our long trek across Texas, but the drizzle and fog hid the rugged beauty well. 

Fort Chadbourne, TX - Parade GroundPhoto by Kathy Weiser-Alexander.

We've done this part of Texas before, and it's well worth your time to drive the Texas Fort's Trail. Though it can’t possibly cover the more than four dozen old forts and presidios across the vast Lone Star State, this 650-mile Scenic Byway certainly provides a glimpse into many of these lonely outposts that were once situated on the dangerous hills and dales of central Texas.

Winter ChaseWinter chased us all the way through Central and most of West Texas.

We made it from Dallas deep into West Texas without really seeing the scenery around us until the last hour of our journey. We have plenty of photos from our previous trips to Southwest Texas though, so be sure to check out our Texas Galleries. 

Abilene, TX - Abilene, TX - Frontier Texas Museum BuffaloFrontier Texas Museum in Abilene, Texas. Photo by Kathy Weiser-Alexander.

If you are in Abeline, a must-stop is Frontier Texas, a world-class interactive museum and official visitors center for Abeline and the Texas Forts Trail.  For more information see their website here. 

Fort Stockton, TX - Paisano Pete

Also, not too much farther south from our current location is the northern part of the Pecos Heritage Trail. At some 1,356 miles in length, it encompasses 22 counties, seven state parks, dozens of towns, and hundreds of historical, cultural, natural, and recreational destinations. See more about that fantastic Texas journey here.

El Paso, TX - Street Scene

We'll be pushing on to El Paso, then ultimately our first primary destination, Tombstone Arizona, in time for Valentine's Day. Looking forward to the warmer weather we thought we'd have in Texas.