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Spray Paint a Junked-Out Car at the Cadillac Ranch

Published by Megan Eaves, Writer

Country: United States

The Experience

Out on the West Texas plains, at the outskirts of a dusty cowtown called Amarillo, sits one of the world's oddest and coolest roadside attractions: the Cadillac Ranch. This public art installation consists of ten antique cars, mostly early model Cadillacs, buried with their noses in the ground and their tail fins high in the air. The cars are splashed in colourful spray-painted messages and pictures, as graffiti is not only tolerated here, it is actively encouraged.

The Cadillac Ranch was the brainchild of irreverent Texas millionaire Stanley Marsh III, who owns the land on which the Caddies were buried. The actual installation of the roadside attraction was done in the late 1970s by the avant-garde art firm Ant Farm, which were contracted to put the cars up as a public art installation. They have since been relocated to a more prominent location right along Old Route 66, which is now the expansive national highway, Interstate 40.

Though not hard to reach, to get to the Cadillac Ranch you must walk down a dirt path leading across a cornfield, which is located just a few miles west of downtown Amarillo, right along I-40. In fact, the cars are visible from the highway, so even if you have no plans to stop, keep your eyes peeled as you pass.

That said, there is absolutely no reason not to stop at this wonderful, strange and totally unique roadside art installation. Spray painting at the Cadillac Ranch has been a popular pastime for decades, and is still expressly encouraged, so be sure to stop somewhere for some cheap cans of spray paint before heading out to the ranch. Gold, pink and white are some of the most vivid colours to use.

Once you arrive, you can simply spray the cars in any fashion you like. Because they are buried, the cars have no windshields, windows, doors or tires, and so are essentially the gutted frames of Cadillacs. This means you can actually crawl through the dusty cars and climb on top of them, but just be careful of fresh paint if you do this.

Undoubtedly, your message will be long gone within a few minutes of your departure from the Cadillac Ranch in Armarillo, as a steady stream of visitors flow in and out of the field, each eager to leave their own mark on the cars. So, be sure to take some photos of your masterpiece before it is erased by someone else's painting pleasure.

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When to Go to Cadillac Ranch

America's quirky roadside installations, such as this, are quickly disappearing. It is important to take advantage of and appreciate these one-of-a-kind attractions before they are gone altogether.

There is not a bad time of year to visit the Texas Cadillac Ranch, but winter in West Texas can be surprisingly cold and icy. Perhaps the best times of year to go are spring and autumn, when the weather is reliably dry and warm, but not too hot. During the summer, Amarillo can be hit with some ferocious afternoon monsoon thunderstorms, so be careful of lightning and vacate the area if you see dark storm clouds on the horizon.

In recent years, the Cadillac Ranch has become a popular spot for locals and visitors to spend holidays, such as the U.S. Independence Day (4th of July), for it is an open field that is not guarded or watched. The Cadillac Ranch is an amazing place to take in the vast West Texas night sky, so in good weather, plan to go in the late afternoon and stay to watch the sunset and the stars come out.

Odds n' Ends

There is no entry fee to the Cadillac Ranch, which is located just off I-40 at Exit 62A on the south side of the highway. Most people park their cars along the Frontage Road near the gate. While several haphazard parking places have been carved out of the roadside from years of use, there is no designated parking. In view of this, you should use extreme caution when getting in and out of your car, for oncoming traffic on both directions moves quite quickly. Make sure to park well off the pavement and onto the grassy shoulder to avoid being hit.

Please also be considerate of your trash, especially if you bring paint cans. It seems many visitors are all too lax about disposing of their paint cans and caps, and even though there is a designated dumpster outside the gate, they have simply cast the cans on the ground near the cars.

Places to Eat

Jorge's Tacos Garcia
Tasty Tex-Mex and strong, heaping margaritas.
Crush Wine Bar & Deli
Amarillo's hippest swanky nightspot, with a good menu of tapas, great wine selection, plenty of world beers and an excellent platter of cheese on offer.
The Big Texan
Motel/horse hotel/restaurant/roadside attraction. If you can finish their 72 oz. steak, it's free.

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Books and DVDs

Texas Moon Guides
Texas - America Series
Route 66: EZ66 GUIDE For Travelers
Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water

Media References

Cadillac Ranch - RoadsideAmerica.com (blog)

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