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Marfa Lights Viewing Area, Marfa, TX

Photo: Allison Meier from Brooklyn, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingQuirky FunFreeLocal Gem

Marfa Lights Viewing Area

U.S. 90, about 9 miles east of Marfa toward Alpine · Marfa, TX

Why you should go…

The official Marfa Lights Viewing Area sits on U.S. 90 about nine miles east of Marfa toward Alpine, on the grounds of the former Marfa Army Airfield. After dark you look across the desert for glowing orbs that observers describe as yellow-orange, red, blue, white or green. The earliest recorded sighting dates to 1883, when a cowhand reported a flickering light near Paisano Pass. Studies by university researchers have tied many sightings to distant car headlights.

  • #marfa lights
  • #mystery lights
  • #stargazing
  • #west texas
  • #roadside attraction

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Marfa Lights Viewing Area, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Chinati Foundation

    $25–$50

    Take a guided tour of large installations by Donald Judd, Dan Flavin and other artists on a former Army post in Marfa.

    8.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Quirky Fun

    Prada Marfa

    Free

    Pull over on a lonely stretch of US-90 to see a sealed Prada storefront sculpture standing alone in the desert.

    44 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Balmorhea State Park

    Under $25

    A West Texas state park built around a huge spring-fed pool where you can swim, snorkel and scuba dive in clear desert water.

    47 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor