Davis Mountains State Park

Fall in Love with the Desert

With campsites surrounded by mountains, skies that open up to the moon and stars, and trails that overlook the Chihuahuan Desert, Davis Mountains State Park is a beautiful place to explore in the fall.

Site: 66 (Tent Area)

Site type: Water only

Date visited: October 2021

Distance to site: Parking on paved driveway next to the campsite

Distance to bathroom: Within walking distance

Bathroom: Toilets and showers are old but clean

Site features: Picnic table, fire pit with grill, water spigot

Park activities: Hiking trails, biking, horseback riding, bird watching

Recommended:

4 out of 5 stars — Small, rocky site next to the road. Must keep food in the car due to animals. Beautiful hiking trails and sunsets. Milky Way visible in the middle of the night.

Site notes:

Site 66 is on a fairly busy two-lane road, which means there can be heavy road noise by your camp as well as hikers walking through your site to get to nearby trails.
This site isn’t large but has enough space for two tents, although finding spots that are flat without rocks is difficult.
There is a potable water spigot next to the driveway.
There is no lantern hook at the site, and no roping of the trees is allowed.
No hammocks are allowed either.
This site has a decent number of trees, but we still recommend bringing a shade tent.

Animal sightings at campsite: Javelinas, deer, skunk, grasshoppers, butterflies, dragonflies, beetles, lizards, tarantula (on trail, not at campsite)

Warnings:

Javelinas run through the campsites after sunset. You absolutely must put away and securely store all food, preferably in your vehicle, or your site will be ransacked. We watched several people suffer the consequences of ignoring the park ranger’s warning.
We got lucky and were able to go when there was no burn ban. Since it’s rare to have the burn ban lifted, bring charcoal for cooking. If needed, there’s a full grocery store within a 5-minute drive.
The hiking trails have gorgeous views, especially at sunset, but they’re rocky and challenging. Be careful if you have older members of your group who may not be able to get back to camp easily if they overdo it.

Recommendations:

Go outside of your tent at about 3 am and look up at the stars. You just might see the Milky Way, and the moon can be huge.
Go up to the summit of the Skyline Trail and watch the sunset.

For more information, see the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website.

Park address:

TX-118 N, Park Road 3
Fort Davis, TX 79734