Marfa With Dogs: A Pet-Friendly Visitor's Guide
- Rob Sherrard
- May 9
- 10 min read
Updated: Jun 13
Most travel guides treat dogs like an asterisk.
A footnote at the bottom. A line that reads "pets allowed (additional fee)" and nothing else. As if your dog is luggage, or a logistical problem to be priced into the booking.
We disagree.
If you're the kind of person who builds your trips around your dog, who plans drives in shifts so they don't get carsick, who packs their bowl before your toothbrush, who's willing to pay more for somewhere they can actually relax, Marfa is your kind of town. And The Milky WayFarer is your kind of stay.
This post is for you. The dog is reading over your shoulder. We see them.
Why Marfa Works for Dogs
Marfa is what dogs would design if they ran the planning office.
Wide streets. Almost no traffic. Long sightlines. Cool nights, even in summer. A whole sky to look at when the leash gets too short. Most of the town is walkable, which means your dog gets to be part of the trip instead of waiting in the room while you go do things.
The dirt roads on the outskirts of town stretch in every direction with very little to interrupt them. The pace is slow. People nod at strangers and at strangers' dogs. Most shops are dog-tolerant if not outright dog-friendly, and the ones that aren't will tell you politely.
The desert is also forgiving in ways most landscapes aren't. No surprise creeks to ford. What you do get: dust, big skies, and goatheads, those tiny spiked seedpods that lurk in patches of grass like land mines for paws. We wrote a whole piece on the goathead problem; the short version is, watch where your dog walks in unfamiliar yards. Our yard doesn't have many of them, but plenty of public spaces do.
Why Marfa Works for Dogs
Marfa is what dogs would design if they ran the planning office.
Wide streets. Almost no traffic. Long sightlines. Cool nights, even in summer. A whole sky to look at when the leash gets too short. Most of the town is walkable, which means your dog gets to be part of the trip instead of waiting in the room while you go do things.
The dirt roads on the outskirts of town stretch in every direction with very little to interrupt them. The pace is slow. People nod at strangers and at strangers' dogs. Most shops are dog-tolerant if not outright dog-friendly, and the ones that aren't will tell you politely.
The desert is also forgiving in ways most landscapes aren't. No surprise creeks to ford. What you do get: dust, big skies, and goatheads, those tiny spiked seedpods that lurk in patches of grass like land mines for paws. We wrote a whole piece on the goathead problem; the short version is, watch where your dog walks in unfamiliar yards. Our yard doesn't have many of them, but plenty of public spaces do.
What The Milky WayFarer Offers Dogs (Specifically)
When we built The Milky WayFarer, we didn't just decide to "allow" pets. We designed for them.
A fully fenced, wraparound yard — every inch of the property is enclosed, top to bottom. Your dog can roam without a leash, and you can sip your coffee on the patio without one hand permanently on the door handle.
In-home washer and dryer for the post-hike, post-creek, post-rolled-in-something-mysterious cleanup. They have names (Spin Flavin and Donald Suds), and we wrote about them once because guests kept telling us they were the unsung MVP of the stay. Same goes for the dog who shows up dusty on day two and clean on day three.
Concrete floors throughout the entire home. We didn't lay them with dogs in mind specifically, but they couldn't be better suited to one. Cool underfoot in summer. Easy to wipe down. Forgiving of dust, paws, and the occasional desert-dirt incident. No precious rugs to ruin. No "please don't" energy.
A short walk to The Water Stop, Bordo, and Marfa Burrito, all within a few blocks. Marfa as a whole is remarkably dog-friendly: outdoor seating is the norm at most restaurants, shops will often wave you and your dog inside, and people on the street tend to ask your dog's name before yours.
The pet fee is $45 per dog, per stay. Not per night. We charge it because we're real about the cleaning that comes after, and we'd rather be honest than fold it into a "pet-free" rate that quietly punishes everyone.
A few ground rules, kept short:
Dogs must be crated if left alone in the house. Marfa is quiet, and a barking dog carries.
Please scoop the poop. The desert doesn't break it down the way grass does.
No dogs on beds or furniture. (We know they ask. We know you negotiate. We trust you.)
Cats, sadly, are not part of the program. Too many throw pillows at stake.
What to Pack for a Dog in Marfa
Some of this echoes our broader Marfa packing guide, but a dog needs their own list.
Booties or paw wax for the hot pavement and the goatheads. Sidewalks in West Texas afternoon sun are no joke.
A long lead for the moments you want them to feel a little freer without going full off-leash.
More water than you think. The dry air is sneaky. Your dog will drink twice their normal amount and you'll think they're sick. They're not. They're just adjusting.
A jacket or sweater for evenings, even in summer. Same advice we give humans. Marfa nights drop into the 60s in August, the 40s in spring and fall, and the 30s in winter. Your dog will appreciate the layer if they're short-haired.
Their own bed or a familiar blanket. The house has plenty of soft places, but dogs settle faster when something smells like home.
If you're driving in from out of state, the stretch of I-10 between San Antonio and Marfa is long. Plan a stop in Fort Stockton or Alpine, both have grassy spots where your dog can stretch their legs.
A Word on Heat, Water, and the Things That Sneak Up on You
West Texas heat is dry, which means it lies to you.
You won't sweat the way you would in Houston, so you won't think to drink. Neither will your dog. By the time either of you notices, you're behind. The fix is simple but unglamorous: water before you think you need it, and shade in the middle of the day.
A few rules we follow with our own dog, and recommend with yours:
Walks happen before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. in summer. Asphalt and concrete radiate heat for hours after the sun moves off. The back-of-hand test works: if you can't hold your hand to the sidewalk for seven seconds, your dog can't walk on it.
Carry water on every walk longer than ten minutes. A collapsible bowl lives in the truck. There are public water bowls outside a few shops in town, but don't count on them.
The yard is shaded in the back corner all afternoon. That's the spot your dog will gravitate to. We leave a second water bowl out there during summer stays.
Elevation matters more than people expect. Marfa sits at 4,685 feet. Your dog will get tired faster on walks the first day. So will you. Plan a low-key arrival.
If something goes wrong — heat exhaustion, a goathead in the paw that won't come out, a snake encounter we hope doesn't happen — there's no vet in Marfa itself. The two closest options are Fort Davis Veterinary Services in Fort Davis (about 20 miles north) and Alpine Small Animal Practice in Alpine (about 26 miles east on Highway 90). Either is a reasonable drive from the house in a real situation.
Worth saving both into your phone before you arrive. You shouldn't need them. They're there in case you do.
Where Dogs Actually Eat in Marfa
Most Marfa restaurants have outdoor seating, and most of those will welcome a well-behaved dog on the patio. That's the short answer. The longer answer is that "dog-friendly" runs a spectrum here, from "we will bring your dog a water bowl unprompted" to "fine, but tie them to the bench."
A few spots worth knowing about:
The Water Stop — Patio seating, easy attitude, walkable from the house. The default morning or afternoon stop.
Bordo — Patio dining. Dogs welcome at outdoor tables. Walking distance.
Coyote Coffee — Dog-friendly. A good first-coffee stop on the walk into town.
Marfa Burrito — The patio is dog-friendly; inside is not, and shouldn't be. (Bourdain didn't bring a dog either.)
Jett's Grill (at the Hotel Paisano) — The courtyard patio is dog-friendly. A good sit-down dinner option if you want something a little more proper without leaving the dog behind.
Bar Saint George — One of the few spots in town where the dogs come inside. The bar itself is dog-friendly, and the pool area at the Saint George Hotel has dog-friendly seating, too. Worth the walk for that alone.
The Sentinel — Dog-friendly. Coffee, beer, and a courtyard that suits a dog who's tired of the leash.
Cochineal — Patio is dog-friendly. The higher-end end of the spectrum, but they'll bring a water bowl without making a thing of it.
Planet Marfa — Outdoor beer garden. Famously laid-back. Dogs fit right in.
The honest rule: outdoor seating is the norm in Marfa, and most places will say yes if your dog is calm and on a leash. The places that say no will say it politely. We've never seen anyone get scolded.
Dog-Friendly Things to Do in and Around Marfa
In town:
Walk the streets. We mean this. A long, slow loop through Marfa is one of the best things you can do with a dog here. The town is walkable in about 30-40 minutes if you're moving with purpose, longer if you're letting your dog stop to investigate every fence post.
Goldies — a small goods and gift shop devoted entirely to dogs. Handmade leashes and collars, single-ingredient treats, and meal toppers worth the detour. Owned and operated by SK Kirk and Kendall Radkins. Find them on Instagram at @goldiesmarfa. It's the kind of place that exists because the people who built it actually care, which is the only kind of place worth recommending.
The Marfa dog park — small but real, just up the way from Larry's Burgers. A good place to let your dog stretch the leash off after a long walk through town, and a fair excuse to grab a burger on your way back.
Marfa Spirit Co. — a dog-friendly tasting room and bottle shop. Dogs are welcome inside, which is the kind of detail that turns a stop into a memory. (The photo at the top of this post was taken on their floor.)
A Short Drive From the House
The drives out of Marfa are part of the trip. Bring water, bring a blanket your dog can lie on if you stop to get out, and don't underestimate how empty the road gets between landmarks.
Davis Mountains State Park (about 45 minutes north) — Leashed dogs are allowed on most trails. The shorter loops near the visitor center are doable for any dog with reasonable fitness; the longer Skyline Drive hikes get rocky and exposed. There's a picnic area near the entrance that works for a tailgate lunch with the dog.
Big Bend Ranch State Park (about an hour southwest, via the River Road) — Often confused with Big Bend National Park, and the rules are completely different. The state park allows leashed dogs on trails and at campgrounds. It's less developed, more remote, and the drive in alone — the FM 170 stretch along the Rio Grande — is one of the prettiest in Texas. If you came to Marfa wanting Big Bend with your dog, this is your park.
Big Bend National Park (about two hours southeast) — Unfortunately, almost entirely off-limits to dogs. They can be on paved roads, in parking lots, and at developed campgrounds, but not on any trail and not in the backcountry. If Big Bend National is on your list, leave the dog at the house with the AC running and a sitter, or save the park for a trip without them. We'd rather tell you the truth here than sell you on something that won't work.
Balmorhea State Park (about an hour northeast) — No dogs in the pool (for obvious reasons), but the day-use area is dog-friendly and the drive is one of the prettier short trips out of Marfa. A good half-day option.
The Marfa Lights Viewing Area (15 minutes east on Highway 90) — The viewing platform is open 24 hours a day, costs nothing, and has no rule against dogs. It's quiet, dark, and your dog gets to sit with you while you watch for something that may or may not show up. If you're up that late, the stars in this part of West Texasare also worth the porch time.
Where Dogs Don't Work in Marfa
A short, honest list:
Galleries. Most of them are no, even Chinati. You'll need to swap off with your travel companion or leave the dog at home for a few hours.
Some restaurants without outdoor seating. Calls ahead are appreciated.
Inside Marfa Burrito. It's small, and Bourdain didn't bring a dog either.
We say this not to discourage you. We say it because nothing kills a vacation faster than getting somewhere and being told no at the door with a dog in tow. A little research up front saves the day.
Why the House Matters for the Dog
We've talked a lot about Marfa. A note on the house, because for a dog, where you stay matters more than where you go.
The Milky WayFarer was built with dogs in mind in ways that compound over a multi-day trip. The wraparound fenced yard means your dog can be off-leash for the first time since the car. The concrete floors mean nobody is hovering over them with a towel. The in-home washer and dryer mean a creek-soaked dog at noon is a clean dog by dinner. The patio is shaded in the late afternoon, which is when your dog will want to sit out there with you anyway.
The pet fee is $45 per dog, per stay — not per night. We'd rather quote it honestly than fold it into a higher base rate that quietly punishes guests without dogs.
A Final Note
The truth is, the best part of bringing your dog to Marfa isn't any single thing on this list.
It's the porch in the morning, when the light is still long and your dog is sniffing the wind from the corner of the yard, and you're holding a cup of Desert Drip, and nobody — not your dog, not you — has anywhere to be.
That's what we built this place for. The slow part of the trip. The part most rentals don't think about.
— Rob & Becca
P.S. If your dog is reading this and would like to leave a review, the bowl by the back door doubles as a comment box.