“Discovering the Charm of West Texas: The Kevin Costner Connection”

One of Texas’s most breathtaking drives is FM 170, also known as the River Road, winding through far West Texas alongside the Rio Grande. This two-lane blacktop showcases dramatic mountains and canyons, offering miles of stunning scenery. Just a bit off the road, between Lajitas and Presidio—about 13 miles northwest of Lajitas and 36 miles southeast of Presidio—lies a simple yet intriguing roadside attraction: a boulder etched with “DOM.” Fans of the 1985 cult classic Fandango, featuring a young Kevin Costner before his Yellowstone fame, will recognize this rock as the spot where Costner’s character digs up a buried bottle of Dom Pérignon. “Here’s to us and what we were,” he exclaims into the breathtaking landscape. “And what we’ll be!” While the champagne may be gone, the spirit of endless possibilities still lingers.

This piece was originally published in the November 2024 issue of Texas Monthly under the title “A Real Rock Star.”