Just as the 50th anniversary approaches of the first international exposition held in the U.S. Southwest—San Antonio’s HemisFair ’68—so does the golden anniversary of the Texas tourism initiative originally tied to it, the Texas Heritage Trails Program (back then, the Texas Travel Trails).
The Dedication Caravan for the Texas Mountain Trail (first of 10 trails to be launched and dedicated) took place March 27–28, 1968, along an auto route from Alpine west to El Paso and back east to Fort Davis, culminating with Gov. Connally’s dedication of Texas’ first million-dollar state park on March 28. Thus, it seems a natural 50th-anniversary celebration to replicate that event.
Dedication caravans were eventually held for all the regions during 1968, though dates for these are not immediately clear (we're searching to discover this info). Watch here for more details on other caravans to be held later this year.
Plan now to jump in the car and hit the Trail as we recreate that first caravan! RSVP to the Texas Mountain Trail Region by email.
Lodging
Monday, March 26 (Alpine)
Code: Texas Mountain Trail
The Holland Hotel
The Maverick Inn
Or (Marathon)
Gage Hotel
Tuesday, March 27 (El Paso)
Code: TMT
Doubletree Downtown El Paso
Wednesday, March 28 (Fort Davis)
Code: Texas Mountain Trail
The Hotel Limpia
Stone Village Tourist Camp
Please make your reservations by calling in with the group code.
Schedule:
Day 1 - Tuesday, March 27
| 7 a.m. | Breakfast at Judy’s Bread and Breakfast |
| 8 a.m. | Depart Alpine from the Holland |
| 10 a.m. | Arrive in Lajitas Resort for refreshments |
| 10:30 a.m. | Depart Lajitas |
| 11:30 a.m. | Arrive at Fort Leaton |
| 11:50 a.m. | Depart Fort Leaton |
| 1 p.m. | Arrive in Marfa Lunch at LaVenture at The Hotel St. George |
| 2:30 p.m. | Depart Marfa |
| 3:30 p.m. | Arrive in Van Horn |
| 3:45 p.m. | Depart Van Horn |
| * Please note time zone change shortly after Van Horn - itinerary will now list in Mountain Time Zone | |
| 4:30p.m. | Arrive at the Magoffin Home |
| 5:30 p.m. | Hotel check-in |
| 7:30 p.m. | Dinner at Carlos & Mickey’s |
Day 2 - Wednesday, March 28
| 8 a.m. | Breakfast at the El Paso Museum of History |
| 9 a.m. | Depart El Paso |
| 11 a.m. | Arrive at Guadalupe Mountains National Park Picnic Lunch at Guadalupe Mountains National Park |
| 12:30 p.m. | Depart Guadalupe Mountains National Park |
| * Please note time zone change entering Culberson County - itinerary will now list in Central Time Zone | |
| 2:30 p.m. | Arrive in Van Horn - Visit either the Clark Hotel Museum, or Hotel El Capitan |
| 3 p.m. | Depart Van Horn |
| 3:30 p.m. | Kent turn off |
| 5 p.m. | Arrive at Fort Davis National Historic Site |
| 5:45 p.m. | Depart Fort Davis |
| 6 p.m. | Arrive at Davis Mountains State Park |
| 6:30 p.m. | Depart Davis Mountains State Park |
| 7 p.m. | Arrive at the Kelly Pavilion for the Grand Finale Celebration and Dinner |
