On day 26 of “The Ultimate USA Road Trip” we drive through a virtually uninhabited part of Texas, we leave the mountains and descend to Del Rio near Lake Amstad. We fill up the engine and buy some provisions for the road, especially enough to drink, because it is warm and there are few stops where you can have a drink.

After about 200 kilometers we visit the small town of Langrty, formerly Eagles Nest. Most roads in this hamlet on the Rio Grande are unpaved, so be careful.
We can visit a museum and three viewpoints here to enjoy the view of the Rio Grande, which is also the border with Mexico. The first vantage point is the Pump Canyon Viewpoint, where you have a beautiful view of the wide canyon and the river.

The second stop is the Judge Roy Bean Museum and Visitor Center. It is a courthouse, saloon, and the residence of Judge Phantly Roy Bean Jr., he was an American saloon keeper and Justice of the Peace in Val Verde County. He called himself "The Only Law West of the Pecos". According to legend, he held court in his saloon. After his death, he was cast as a hanging judge in western movies and books, although he is known to have only sentenced two men to hanging, one of whom escaped. Nice place with friendly staff

The next point can also be visited on foot, it is a little less than 1 kilometer walk; Mile Canyon or more recently known as Eagle Nest Canyon is a small tributary of the Rio Grande. Mile Canyon got its name because of its length of about a mile in length. In more recent years, this canyon has been named Eagle Nest Canyon after a nesting pair of golden eagles that have been sighted nearby. It has been an important area of many archaeological and geological expeditions over the past century.

The last point is Eagles Nest Creek, where you also have a nice view of the Canyon. You can descend into the Canyon via a narrow cart track.

After approximately 30 kilometers we cross the Pecos River via the “Pecos River Bridge”, the bridge is 1310 feet long and about 273 feet high, the “Pecos River Bridge” is the highest and most famous highway bridge in Texas and is a beautiful structure. When we have crossed the bridge we can stop at two places to have a good look at the bridge.

Next stop is at the Seminole Canyon State Park & Historic Site Visitor Center. The canyon inhabitants of yesteryear left drawings of their lives on the rock walls of Seminole Canyon. Their drawings tell stories about their lives and are still studied today.

Lunch is scheduled at The J and P Bar and Grill in Comstock, don't be put off by the building that looks like a garage from the outside, it's cozy inside and the friendly staff serve delicious food.

Drive via the long bridge over Lake Amistad to Del Rio, the end point of this day where we spend the night in one of the hotels. Del Rio has some fun attractions to offer, such as The Whitehead Memorial Museum open-air museum that was established in 1962 and remains the only full-time public museum in Val Verde County. The museum gives a picture of how residents lived here in earlier times. Another recommendation is the Val Verde Winery, take a taxi or public transport because this vineyard has a tasting room. More information about Del Rio can be found at the links in this review.