MARATHON: A CLASSIC CROSSROADS IN FAR WEST TEXAS
MARATHON: A CLASSIC CROSSROADS IN FAR WEST TEXAS

POPULATION: 365

In the 1880s, a sea captain turned railroad surveyor saw a resemblance to the landscape of Marathon, Greece, and gave this tiny outpost–initially a shipping hub for local ranchers–its name. Today, Marathon is a small but mighty last stop before turning south to Big Bend National Park. Renowned photographers and longtime Big Bend explorers James H. Evans and E. Dan Klepper both have great galleries in town. French Co Grocer offers everything you need for your desert journeys, including fresh-made breakfast burritos. If you’re in town on a Friday, you can catch French Co’s burger night (reserve in advance).

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbecue
102 NW 1st St #90W

Brisket, sausage and ribs, not to mention delicious microbrew on draft.

Marathon2Marathon
October

A certified Boston qualifier draws hundreds of runners to this remote location to trot the full 26.2.

V6 Coffee Bar
109 NE 1st St

Of course, a place to satiate that caffeine addiction, but also home to delicious breakfast options like huevos rancheros.

Getting to the Big Bend region from almost anywhere is a long haul, and by the time you get there, a refreshing swim and a no-nonsense margarita will probably sound like paradise. So your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make it to Marathon by 3 p.m. Once you check in at the delightfully Old-West-y Gage Hotel, your first stop is the pool. Savor your cool plunge; depending on drought levels and the state of the shallow-to-dry Rio Grande, this may be your last true swim for a long while. Once you’ve spiffed yourself up for the evening–or not; no one in laid-back Marathon will care what you’re wearing–your next stop is the White Buffalo Bar for the best house margs within many miles. Give your regards to the namesake white buffalo head that features prominently on the wall. The story goes that the hotel’s original owner, rancher Alfred Gage, bought an entire museum to attain it. (Do not attempt to pull on its horns, as one guest reportedly did a few years back, leading to very expensive repairs.) Dinner’s right next door at the 12 Gage, reservations recommended. (If you’re sensing a theme, yes, the Gage is a big presence here.) Chicken fried steak with jalapeño gravy? Don’t mind if we do.