El Cosmico: Glamping In Marfa, Texas

This past month, Justin and I ventured to a scenic 6-hour road trip with our pups to Marfa, Texas to view the unexplained light orbs in the sky, Marfa Lights. We didn’t really have anything planned aside from that, so we decided to find a place that allows dogs that is near the viewing center. We came across El Cosmico, a campsite that was only about 10 minutes away from the viewing center for the Marfa Lights. Not only was the name fitting for our little cosmic adventure, but it was also 100% dog-friendly.

El Cosmico “is a campground for adventures and wanderers.” It is situated in the middle of the desert, so you have the entire sky as your view. There is a small shop located in the lobby where they sell bohemian-desert souvenirs and books. Snacks and drinks are also available for purchase.

SHELTERS

The El Cosmico campsite has a variety of shelters to choose from: Trailers, Yurts, Kasita, teepees, safari tents, and also a campsite for self-camping.

YURT

We wanted to rent the large trailer because it would accommodate our 2 large dogs, and also it had a private bathroom/shower. Unfortunately, it wasn’t available during our stay. The Yurt was the next best thing for our accommodation. It doesn’t have a private shower/bathroom, but it was large enough to fit our small family. It’s a 22-foot diameter room with wooden floors and a queen-size bed. There are electrical outlets as well as AC and heat. The elevated outdoor patio has chairs and a table where we spent most of our day enjoying the quiet, Texas desert with an ice cold beer, and pups by our side.

What to Bring

FOOD

We stayed in one of their beautiful yurts. It was very spacious especially with our two large huskies. The yurts do not have a fridge or microwave/stove. There is an outdoor community kitchen with a stove, fridge/freezer, picnic area, and bbq pit. It is shared by everyone who needs to use it. If you’re comfortable leaving your food in there, you can certainly use it. Restaurants were nearby, but we decided to just bring snacks and a small cooler to store our sandwiches and drinks since we were only staying for the night. Outside alcohol is not allowed, but you can buy wine and beer in the lobby.

HYGIENE

They don’t provide any hygiene kits, so bring your own soap/shampoo, toothbrush & toothpaste. They DO provide towels and robes.

FOR PETS

We brought their dog beds and a cover to put on the bed just incase they wanted to jump on the bed. We also brought their food, treats, doggy bowls, and water. I’d suggest bringing some paw balm for their feet. It is in a desert so the sand and heat can irritate their paws. Locking carabiners are always great for outdoor adventures, but it is also great with leashes because you can clip their leash anywhere. This dog travel kit is a must and great for the traveling/adventure dog. It stores food, treats, collapsable bowls, compartments for extra necessities, and it meets airline carry-on requirements. If you are just looking for just a collapsable dog bowl, these are great. It includes a slow-feeder, toy, and poop bags/dispenser.

 

BATHROOM/SHOWERS

Some shelters like the trailers and kasita, have their own showers and bathroom. The yurts, tents, and teepees have a shared bathroom and shower. They’re all relatively clean for a glamp site, but if you don’t feel comfortable with that, I’d suggest renting a trailer or kasita that have private bathroom/showers.

**TIP** Bring separate shower shoes/sandals for the bathroom/shower– ones that you wont be needing to use inside your shelter. That’s probably the germaphobe in me speaking, but I have a thing about using the same shoes that you will be using inside your shelter in a community shower/bathroom. I like these sandals because they are the more affordable “pillow” sandals, non-slip, very comfortable and easy to clean. 

 

BED

Heavenly. Cozy.

CAMPSITE

The entire campsite actually feels like a little community. Every shelter appeared to be occupied, but surprisingly, it was very serene and quiet. Although in the middle of the desert, they do have a green yard in the middle of the campsite which is great to picnic, enjoy the outdoors, and camp if you want to bring your own tent.

PETS

There is a small fee of about $10 per dog, and you also have the option to purchase blankets, food, dog bowls, and treats for an additional price. If you opt out, you can just bring your own pet necessities. Please be responsible and pick up after your pets. I did not see any doggy bags out there, so bring your own just in case. There are trash cans everywhere, so there is no reason to leave anything behind. The staff at El Cosmico work hard keeping the campsite beautiful. Do your part so they can continue to be 100% dog-friendly.

 

CARTS

There are carts available from the parking lot to help transport your bags to your shelter, but please return all carts when you are done.

 

PARKING

Parking is free and is located in the entrace of El Cosmico.

 

BOOKING

You can book online and will receive a confirmation via email. If you know you will be arriving after hours, please call them and let them know so they can help arrange access your key and guest package. Otherwise, check-in at the front desk. In your guest package, you will be given a map of the campsite. You won’t get lost, trust me, but the map is pretty cool and every shelter appeared to be hand drawn in detail.

 

CHECK-OUT

There is contactless check-out. You will receive an email on your last day day and can check-out from your phone. There is a red mailbox on the red door of the lobby where you will just drop-off the key. If you lose your key, there is a fine, so don’t lose it!

Justin and I have turned to glamping as far as mini vacations go. We don’t normally spend more than 2 nights, so it’s relatively comfortable for the amount of days we stay. Each glampsite we’ve been to had a different personality, and that’s what we love. It’s not all about staying outdoors, but it’s about the character and details that was put into creating a humble, liveable space that anyone can enjoy–outdoorsy or not. We will be on the lookout for more glamping adventures. If you have any suggestions of cool glampsites in Texas, let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading, and see you on the next adventure. Click here if you want to read more about our glamping adventures!

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