West Texas is often forgotten when it comes to road trips in the state. But, you don’t want to make that mistake.

Venture away from some of Texas’ biggest and most well-known cities in the eastern part of the state, and you’ll find not only a change in scenery but also in culture and things to do. 

That’s what makes exploring worth it, right?

West Texas has so much to offer, and one of the hidden gems in the region is Davis Mountains State Park. 

In this post, we’re going to dig a little bit deeper into Davis Mountains State Park.

About the Park

Davis Mountains State Park is part of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The park itself is over 2,500 acres of land in the Davis Mountains range which ranges up to about 6,000 feet above sea level.

It was originally targeted as a spot for improvements during the Great Depression. The Civilian Conservation Corps hired men to develop everything from roads and camping areas to restrooms and outbuildings. So they were a big part of the park that you see today!

Things To Do

There’s no shortage of things going on in the park. So you can plan on spending just an hour or so hiking a trail or a few days going camping. 

Camping

Davis Mountains State Park has a variety of camping options. You can drive in and spend a night camping with most of the comforts of home (including water and electric hookups), or you can choose to check out some of the primitive sites. There’s also the option to stay at the Indian Lodge, which was one of those CCC projects from the 1930s.

Hiking

There are multiple trails around the park. One of the most popular is the 4.5-mile Skyline Trail. You can hike or mountain bike these trails. And, if you’re an equestrian, there are also 11 miles of horse trails in the park as well. 

Bird Watching

Texas is a key migration spot for birds, and you don’t have to be a professional bird watcher to appreciate it! There are a number of ‘bird blinds’ scattered all over Davis Mountains State Park. These conveniently allow you to check out the birds and provide a nice resting spot too.

Fort Davis National Historic Site

Right next door (literally) to the state park, you’ll find the Fort Davis National Historic Site; This was originally built in the mid-1800s as a frontier post for the US Army. You can access the historic site via Route 118, or there’s a short hiking trail that runs between the state park and the historic site. 

Getting There

Davis Mountains State Park is not far off of Interstate 10, which runs across the Southern part of the United States. So that makes it a destination spot for those traveling this way for road trips. It’s about three hours from El Paso, Midland, and Big Bend National Park.