El Cosmico
While it's true there's nothing better than the unspoiled beauty of pristine nature, it's also true that "where the hell's the bathroom?". For a more accommodating nature trip, visit Marfa's El Cosmico.Recently opened by Austin lodging luminary Liz Lambert (Hotel San Jose, St. Cecilia), Cosmico is an 18-acre, Keep Marfa Weirder mix of retro-futuristic and luxe-primitive campground accommodations that serves as an ultimately cozy alternative to actually buying a tent and carrying out its diabolical instructions. Centered around a hammock grove, wood-fired dutch tubs and, soon, a swimming pool, sleeping units start with 5 beautifully restored vintage trailers and mobile homes, from the VW-looking 1951 "Royal Mansion", to the 45ft 1956 "Imperial Mansion" with king bed and cedar deck, to "The Vagabond": a 1953 teal-striped number with indoor/outdoor showers (trailers are up to 100ft apart, so if someone can see your bits...congratulations). To get more rustic, go for a 115sq-ft. Mongol yurt with bamboo flooring, thin water-proof linen walls, queen-sized futons, and lantern lighting; a 22ft diameter tee-pee with a king futon and fire-pit; or a rectangular wood-floored safari tent, for those hunting the most dangerous game of all, Boggle.If you're some sort of masochist, Cosmico does offer more traditional camping options, i.e., a handful of leaves.