A narrow limestone pass on State Highway 173 about ten miles north of Bandera where the road cuts between the Medina and Guadalupe river valleys.
Bandera Pass is a V-shaped erosion cut through a limestone ridge at roughly 1,320 feet elevation. The highway threads through the gap, and a 1936 Texas Centennial marker on the west side of the road describes the pass's role in frontier conflict. The marker is readable from a pullout area without leaving the highway shoulder.
The marker stands on the west side of State Highway 173, approximately one mile north of Farm-to-Market Road 2828. It is visible from the road and accessible from the highway shoulder.
The name comes from the Spanish word bandera meaning flag. According to local tradition, a flag or banner was placed at the pass during an early military engagement between Spanish forces and Native Americans.
Yes. There is space on the highway shoulder near the marker. The pass is on a two-lane highway with moderate traffic, so standard roadside caution applies.