Planning a trip to the wide open spaces of the remaining frontier can be daunting, but officials in West Texas are making it easier through online travel services. The non-profit Texas Mountain Trail, a participant in the state's heritage trails system, offers special interest itineraries, a daily photo blog, and other services to aid trip planning. "We know that many of our visitors travel across the country to get to the adventure-filled high mountain desert, our clear night skies and our frontier towns still experiencing horse traffic," says Beth Nobles, Regional Coordinator of the Texas Mountain Trail. "We want to make planning their trip from afar as easy as possible."

Nobles offers several websites for visitors: the Texas Mountain Trail Daily Photo Blog (http://www.texasmountaintrail.blogspot.com) features photographs of scenic mountain vistas, flowering cacti, adobe architecture, hiking and biking adventures, and ancient rock art awaiting visitors to the region. Big Bend National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, the Davis Mountains and El Paso, all located in the region are pictured on the blog. The organization's main website, http://www.texasmountaintrail.com, offers fun itineraries for travelers of all ages and all interests, such as: Big Bend Birding, Movie Traveler: The Kevin Costner Fandango Tour, the El Paso Mission Trail, Top Ten 15 Minute Rest Areas, and Big Bend Hiking and Biking Girlfriend Getaway, as well as travels suggested by historical memoirs by women. "We also regularly feature 'favorite places' of visitors and residents of the region, in the blog 'My Favorite Place,'" said Beth Nobles. http://www.tmtrfavorite.blogspot.com.

Nobles also recommends a new travel resource, WestTexasTrip, and their website, http://www.westtexastrip.com, with special content about the Trail, Fort Davis, in the mile-high Davis Mountains, and Midland, its gateway city. Fort Davis, population 1,200, was awarded a 2008 Dozen Distinctive Destination(R) award by the National Trust for Historic Preservation(R) for its unspoiled frontier nature and heritage tourism resources, such as historic hotels. The community is home to the National Park Service's Fort Davis National Historic Site, one of the country's best restored frontier forts; and the world renowned McDonald Observatory.

A 24 page travel guide for the Texas Mountain Trail region -- featuring parks, museums, and historic sites in Far West Texas -- can be ordered through the Texas Historical Commission, by calling 866/276-6219, or visiting http://www.texasmountaintrail.com.