Big Lake
Around Big Lake
Illustration made for Popchat
Countryside and towns · Texas · 8807 people
Big Lake
Locals say West Texas
Big skies, warm hearts, and a thousand stars.
RustDark MesquiteSteel Blue
Welcome to the heart of West Texas, where the oil patch meets the ranch land. Come for the wide-open skies and stay for the friendly folks. Whether you're here for the hunting, the history, or just passing through, you'll find a community that looks out for one another.
Clubs for Big Lake
No clubs for Big Lake yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Big Lake. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Big Lake. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Reagan County Courthouse 1911 courthouse with a copper dome in Big Lake.
- Upton County Courthouse Sandstone courthouse in Rankin, built 1927.
- Sterling County Courthouse WPA-built courthouse from 1936 in Sterling City.
- Glasscock County Courthouse Small courthouse in Garden City, built 1927.
- Reagan County Museum Local history, oil and ranching exhibits in Big Lake.
- Upton County Museum Pioneer and oil heritage in Rankin.
- Outdoors Deer hunting on leased land
- Outdoors Quail hunting
- With kids County fairs
- With kids High school football games
- Evenings Local honky-tonk bars
- Evenings Dance halls
- Locals love Hunting leases
- Locals love Oil field pumpjacks
Through the year
- Reagan County Fair summer County fair with livestock shows, carnival, and food.
- Upton County Fair summer County fair in Rankin with rodeo and exhibits.
- Sterling County Fair summer Small-town fair with livestock judging and games.
- Glasscock County Fair summer County fair in Garden City with a community dinner.
- McCamey Oil Heritage Festival spring Celebrates the oil patch history with music and food.
Semi-arid climate with hot summers, mild winters, and low humidity. The region is prone to drought and wind. Best: Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to be outside.
Talk like a local
- “fixin' to”
- About to
- “y'all”
- You all
- “oil patch”
- The oil fields
- “pump jack”
- Oil pump
Getaways
- San Angelo River walk, historic fort, and larger shopping.
- Midland Petroleum Museum and pro baseball at the RockHounds.
- Odessa Globe Theatre and the Presidential Museum.
- Big Spring Historic hotel and a scenic lake park.
Local flavour
Rooting for Texas Longhorns, Texas A&M Aggies, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Midland RockHounds (MiLB), San Angelo Colts (independent baseball)
Eat and drink
- Barbecue brisket Slow-smoked over mesquite, a staple of West Texas cookouts and small-town BBQ joints.
- Tex-Mex Enchiladas, tamales, and fajitas with a local twist, reflecting the region's Hispanic heritage.
- Chicken fried steak A classic diner dish, often served with cream gravy and mashed potatoes.
- Pecan pie Texas is pecan country, and this dessert shows up at church suppers and county fairs.
- Sweet tea The default drink at any local café or family gathering.
Where people go
- Ranch land Rolling hills, mesquite and juniper, and endless fences—this is cattle and sheep country.
- Oil fields and pumpjacks The rhythmic bobbing of pumpjacks is a familiar sight, marking the region's oil heritage.
- Small-town courthouse squares Each county seat has a historic courthouse, often with a gazebo and a few local shops.
- Hunting leases Deer, quail, and dove hunting on private land is a way of life and a social event.
- The Pecos River A winding, often dry riverbed that cuts through the western edge, a landmark for locals.
Make this page better
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Nearby
Every areaEdwards PlateauTexasRugged, quiet, and wide open.San AngeloTexasWhere the river meets the rangeMidlandTexasTall city, wide skies, and the pulse of the oil patch.OdessaTexasWhere the desert meets the oil patchBig SpringTexasBig skies, warm hearts, and the open road.Fort StocktonTexasWide skies, warm hearts, and the spirit of the West.AndrewsTexasWhere the desert meets the oil patch.SweetwaterTexasWhere the wind blows free
Reagan, Upton, Sterling and Glasscock counties, TX. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.