About 18.5 million years ago, giant volcanic eruptions forever changed the landscape of what is today a swath of protected California desert land, bound by two major interstates between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The eruptions left behind unique rock formations, including cliffs and canyons made up of rhyolite tuff, a volcanic rock formed by different particles and rocks merging together from the heat of an eruption.
The rolling hills seem endless-but drive far enough, and the landscape shifts. Suddenly, around 32 miles southwest of Marfa, the pavement ends, the ground drops away precipitously, and the gentle plains give way to craggy rocks and steep, dramatic mountains. If you keep driving, you'll descend into Pinto Canyon along the Pinto Canyon Road, one of the most stunning drives in the state of Texas.