Your ghost town road trip to Best, Texas requires serious preparation for Reagan County’s unforgiving desert terrain. Start by fueling up in McCamey, where gas averages $2.83 per gallon, then follow Highway 67 through monotonous landscape where cell service vanishes entirely. Pack one gallon of water per person daily, download offline maps, and base yourself in nearby Rankin at the Riata Inn ($98-$104 nightly). The journey rewards intrepid explorers with a haunting concrete jail standing alone among oil-scarred wilderness—just one chapter in West Texas’s forgotten history.
Key Takeaways
- Best is located in Reagan County along Highway 67, where a concrete jail remains from a town that once housed 3,500 residents.
- Pack one gallon of water per person daily, wear UPF clothing, and download offline maps since cell service vanishes in the remote terrain.
- Stay at Riata Inn Rankin ($98-$104 nightly) with pet-friendly rooms, or camp at Monahans Sandhills State Park 40 miles north of Best.
- Fuel up in McCamey, 20 miles west of Rankin, at Alon, Stripes, or Exxon before venturing into the isolated area.
- Plan exploration outside 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to avoid extreme heat and bring emergency supplies like GPS devices and first aid kits.
The Rise and Fall of Best: From Oil Boom to Desert Ruins
The Texas oil story begins not with Best, but with a series of smaller discoveries that set the stage for everything that followed. Nacogdoches County saw first production in 1866, then Corsicana’s 1894 strike while drilling for water. By 1900, Texas pumped 836,000 barrels annually—nothing compared to what’d come.
Spindletop changed everything on January 10, 1901, erupting with 100,000 barrels daily near Beaumont. Prices crashed to three cents per barrel from oversupply. Towns exploded overnight, then withered just as fast when wells ran dry. The Texas Railroad Commission eventually stabilized production levels across the state by the 1940s, bringing order to the chaotic early years.
This boom-and-bust pattern defined Texas oil country. Corsicana’s discovery launched the first Texas oil boom, seven years before Spindletop transformed the industry. The economic struggles of former boomtowns like Best mirror Spindletop’s rapid decline after 1902’s peak. You’ll witness the environmental impact of industry decline everywhere—rusted equipment, contaminated soil, skeletal derricks standing guard over abandoned dreams.
What Remains: Exploring the Abandoned Structures and Artifacts
Standing before Best’s skeletal remains today, you’ll find stories written in rust and crumbling stone. Unlike Toyah’s massive abandoned high school or Terlingua’s preserved Catholic church, Best offers raw, unfiltered decay. You’re free to wander without ropes or tour guides—just you and the desert wind excavating town artifacts from beneath shifting sands.
Protecting historic structures here means respecting what little survives. Clairemont’s 1894 red sandstone jail shows what neglect brings: graffiti-covered walls, though cells remain intact. Medicine Mound’s forgotten general store and rusty gas station pumps stand as warnings. At Lobo, private owners balance preservation with access, requiring permission for visits. The Keystone Hotel, built in 1870 as the Star Hotel, exemplifies how limestone construction endures abandonment better than wood. Nearby Cisco harbors its own haunting history, where the Old Zoo Nature Trails wind through ruins of a facility shut down by an unsolved murder.
Best demands nothing from you except curiosity and careful footsteps among its fragments.
Mapping Your Route Through Reagan County’s Remote Terrain
Finding Best requires more than GPS coordinates—you’ll need Highway 67 as your compass through Reagan County’s unforgiving expanse. From San Angelo, drive 70 miles west into Permian Basin country where pavement meets isolation. Ten miles past Big Lake’s county seat, the ghost town materializes from desert scrub at 31°13′29″N 101°37′16″W.
Desert navigation techniques demand constant awareness—cell service vanishes, landmarks disappear into monotonous terrain. Carry water, fuel, and detailed maps beyond digital backups. The arid landscape shows no mercy to unprepared wanderers.
Travel safety precautions aren’t optional here. Inform someone of your route before departure. Those concrete ruins you’re seeking once housed 3,500 souls; now they’re barely distinguishable from the hardscrabble earth reclaiming them. The most prominent landmark you’ll encounter is a square concrete jail, standing approximately 10 feet high as the sole surviving structure from Best’s lawless past. The town’s name refers to the same term used in multiple contexts throughout Texas history.
Essential Supplies and Practical Tips for Desert Exploration
Surviving Reagan County’s baked terrain demands calculated preparation beyond throwing random gear in your trunk. Your packing recommendations start with one gallon of water per person daily—double that in this unforgiving desert. Store it in durable containers like Reliance Aqua-Tainers, supplemented by collapsible bladders and purification tablets for emergency refills.
Smart hydration strategies include electrolyte tablets to combat the relentless sun that’ll drain you faster than you’d expect. Layer your defense with UPF clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, and UV-blocking sunglasses. Pack your first aid kit with blister prevention supplies and tweezers for inevitable cactus encounters.
Navigation means downloading offline maps before cell service vanishes, backed by a compass and GPS device. Throw in a multi-tool, duct tape, headlamp, and emergency blanket—tools that’ve saved countless desert explorers. Remember that nighttime temperatures can plummet dramatically in desert environments, so pack insulating layers even if daytime heat seems oppressive. Plan your exploration activities to avoid the hottest parts of the day, typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Where to Stay and Refuel Near the Ghost Town
Your journey to Best, Texas requires careful planning for fuel and rest stops in this remote stretch of desert. Monahans Sandhills State Park offers camping among white gypsum dunes forty miles north of your destination, while the small town of Rankin provides basic services and a chance to stock up on supplies.
You’ll find your last reliable fuel stops in McCamey, where gas stations and convenience stores serve as lifelines before you venture deeper into the isolated terrain surrounding the ghost town. For those exploring the broader Big Bend region, Ghost Town Terlingua offers unique casita accommodations with modern amenities like air conditioning and outdoor showers, bookable by reservation at (432) 244-1120. Travelers can also stay at Terlingua Ghost Town RV Park, which features spacious RV sites with full hookups and breathtaking desert views at the entrance to the historic ghost town.
Camping at Monahans Sandhills
The camping experience at Monahans Sandhills State Park delivers an unexpected blend of Sahara-like landscapes and Texas hospitality, just a short drive from the ghost town of Best. You’ll find 26 sites with full hookups where modern conveniences meet wilderness—think hot showers, 30/50 amp power, and dump stations amid rolling dunes.
The equestrian facilities stand out with dedicated corrals and three specialized campsites for riders exploring the 800-acre trail system. At $15 nightly plus entrance fees, you’re getting real value. Dune preservation rules keep motorized traffic off the sand, protecting this geological wonder while you’re free to hike, sandboard, or stargaze.
Reserve up to five months ahead, though spontaneous arrivals often work. Gates lock at 10 p.m.—plan accordingly.
Services in Rankin
Between Best’s abandoned buildings and the modern world, Rankin serves as your essential basecamp—a working oil town where dust-caked pickups outnumber tourists ten to one.
The Riata Inn Rankin ($98-$104 nightly) offers the most reliable lodging, with pet-friendly rooms, free WiFi, and those critical microwaves for reheating road food. Its 9.0/10 rating from 76 reviewers speaks to clean sheets and functioning AC—luxuries you’ll appreciate after prowling ghost town ruins.
Your Rankin essentials:
- Highway 67 placement provides nearby fuel options for quick fills
- Alternative accommodation choices include Mesa View Inn (4.3/5) and Trail West Lodge
- Onsite laundry handles your dusty exploration clothes
- Free parking lets you secure your ghost town gear overnight
La Bonita Inn’s dismal 2.3 rating suggests steering clear unless you’re genuinely desperate.
Fuel Stops in McCamey
Twenty miles west of Rankin, McCamey plants itself along Highway 67 as your last reliable fuel corridor before Best’s crumbling facades materialize from the Chihuahuan scrubland. Price comparisons between nearby gas stations reveal averages hovering around $2.83 per gallon, with the Way card shaving forty cents off that number.
Alon at 1000 S Burleson offers diesel alongside common convenience store offerings—Allsups snacks, clean restrooms, tap-to-pay efficiency. Stripes down at 200 S Burleson keeps similar inventory.
The Exxon on Texas Highway 11 runs 7am-7pm weekdays, closing early Sundays, though pumps accept cards round-the-clock. Load up here. Best’s silence waits thirty miles southwest, where stations don’t exist and cell towers fade to memory.
Expanding Your Journey: Other Forgotten Towns in West Texas
Beyond Best’s weathered buildings, West Texas sprawls with hundreds of abandoned settlements waiting along dusty highways and forgotten ranch roads. You’ll discover cultural remnants of past inhabitants at Medicine Mound’s rusted gas pumps and abandoned general store, while seasonal animal migrations now claim what railroad commerce once dominated.
Where railroad empires once thrived, windswept silence and weathered storefronts now stand as monuments to West Texas’s vanished frontier communities.
Consider these essential stops:
- Terlingua – Near Big Bend, where desert solitude meets artistic revival
- Toyah – Twenty miles west of Pecos, completely accessible without restrictions
- Lobo – Art installations including a mini Walmart, though privately owned with no trespassing signs
- Kent – Just off Highway 10 east of Van Horn, featuring a recently abandoned gas station
Texas holds roughly 900 ghost towns total. You’re free to explore most without permits, though respect private property boundaries at fenced locations.
Best Times to Visit and Weather Considerations for Your Trip
West Texas doesn’t forgive poor planning—summer heat routinely exceeds 100°F while sudden monsoon storms can trap you in flash floods from July through September.
You’ll find the sweet spots in spring (March-May) and fall (September-November), when temperatures hover between 60-85°F and the desert landscape becomes navigable without risking heat exhaustion.
Winter offers equally comfortable conditions for exploring abandoned ruins, though you’ll need layers once the sun drops and temperatures plummet to freezing.
Seasonal Temperature Extremes
When planning your ghost town road trip to Best, Texas and surrounding West Texas sites, timing can mean the difference between memorable adventure and miserable endurance test. The region’s heat extremes demand respect—summer temperatures routinely exceed 110°F in desert conditions, with historical mining towns like Terlingua witnessing deadly consequences during 1800s booms.
Smart travelers target these windows:
- Fall (September-November): 70-85°F highs perfect for exploration
- Winter (December-February): Mild 50-70°F days, minimal crowds
- Spring (March-May): 60-80°F range before heat builds
- October: Ideal combination of cool weather and spooky atmosphere
Summer’s 100°F+ averages create genuine heat exhaustion risks. You’ll need constant hydration and early-morning starts. Desert nights drop to 70°F, offering brief respite from relentless daytime sun.
Flash Flood Risks
While heat poses an obvious challenge for desert exploration, water—paradoxically—presents West Texas’s deadliest weather threat. Flash floods transform dry creek beds into raging torrents within minutes, especially during monsoon season.
The region’s steep terrain and hardpan soil create deadly runoff conditions that’ve claimed hundreds of lives at low-water crossings.
Your emergency preparedness plans should include monitoring weather alerts and never crossing flooded roads—58% of Texas flood deaths involve vehicles. Download offline maps showing alternate routes, since rural areas often have single-road access.
Study local flood mitigation strategies before departure: identify high ground near your route and pack emergency supplies. During heavy rain, abandon exploration immediately. That crumbling ghost town foundation isn’t worth your life when water starts rising.
Optimal Visiting Months
Fall rivals spring as one of the optimal touring months, particularly September through November when:
- Morning temperatures drop to manageable 80-90°F ranges
- Evening coolness around 55°F makes campfire storytelling comfortable
- Late October brings Terlingua’s famous chili cook-off energy
- Día de los Muertos transforms ghost towns into candlelit celebrations
Winter works beautifully for spontaneous travelers seeking solitude—you’ll find empty trails, 300+ sunny days annually, and that crisp desert air that makes every breath feel like freedom itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Best, Texas Located on Private Property or Public Land?
Best, Texas sits on private property with mineral rights ownership intact, meaning public access restrictions apply strictly. You’ll need permission before exploring—trespassing laws are enforced here. Always respect boundaries while seeking your freedom to roam.
Are There Any Safety Concerns With Wildlife or Old Mining Hazards?
You’ll face old mine collapse risks around abandoned structures and animal encounter precautions in remote areas. Watch for unstable ground near historic sites, and stay alert—Texas wildlife and decaying infrastructure demand respect when you’re exploring off-grid.
Can I Bring My Dog to Explore the Ghost Town Ruins?
Like wandering through a forgotten frontier outpost, you’ll find Best welcomes leashed dogs among its crumbling oil-boom ruins. Unlike formal pet friendly attractions, no enforced rules exist here—just bring water and watch for wildlife.
Is Overnight Camping Allowed Directly at the Best Ghost Town Site?
You’ll find camping facilities at nearby Terlingua Ghost Town’s RV park, not directly at Best’s ruins. The site’s historical significance warrants day-trip respect rather than overnight stays. Camp close by and explore freely during daylight hours instead.
Are There Guided Tours Available or Is It Only Self-Guided Exploration?
Like a tumbleweed rolling free, you’ll explore Best independently—there’s no guided tours availability here. Self-guided tour options let you wander the ruins at your own pace, discovering hidden stories without schedules or crowds limiting your adventure.
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ghost_towns_in_Texas
- https://www.ghostsandgetaways.com/blog-1/27-fascinating-ghost-towns-in-texas
- https://www.hipcamp.com/journal/camping/texas-ghost-towns/
- https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g28964-Activities-c47-t14-Texas.html
- https://www.traveltexas.com/articles/post/spooky-roadtrip/
- https://www.islands.com/2099960/segovia-texas-once-popular-tourist-destination-outside-san-antonio-ghost-town-fishing-spots/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ndTmBBAC1I
- https://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/Texas_ghost_towns.htm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_oil_boom
- https://aoghs.org/petroleum-pioneers/texas-oil-boom-in-corsicana/
