Davis Mountains State Park

"Spent only one night there but we were pleased with the State Park. We had site 60 with electricity and water (no sewer but there was a dump site nearby) and site was okay (with some mud) and levelled. But site was quite far from showers and the shower block had only one men and one women shower/toilet... so a bit challenging and involved some wait. Hopefully the campground was not too crowded. Rangers and staff were quite nice and gave a lot of goodies to our kids after they had completed their junior ranger book. The interpretation centre was interesting. Did not take the skyline road to the top; was not sure it was okay with our motorhome as it looks narrow. Rangers mentioned sharp turns, so did not take any chances. There is a nice trail (1.6 miles) going to the top. Our biggest deception was that it is not a "bike friendly" place. There are mountain bike trails but really tough and technical and not possible to climb the skyline road. Will come back if in the area but on a different campsite."

"We stayed here for two weeks & enjoyed the park so much! The campground has different levels of amenities ranging from full hookup to dry sites. We were in a water/electric site. The sites all seemed mostly level with asphalt service. The dump station was centrally located to the different branches of the campground. There were two shower houses/ bathrooms that were clean & had good water pressure and hot water. We used Starlink & had fantastic service with that, with two people working M-F with no interruptions. One bar at best on T-Mobile unless you hike up the mountains where the service is great. The Interpretive Center, office, and shower houses have WiFi available that worked well the couple times I used it. The park has several great hiking trails ranging from .25 miles to a 10ish mile hike across the highway at Limpia Creek. We hiked all of them & would recommend any of them. The Interpretive Center was a big highlight for us as we always like learning about the park/area we are staying in. Ranger Charlie and Sasha were wonderful resources for wildlife information, recommendations on restaurants, and other points of interest in the area. They also put on different types of programming throughout the week both at the Interpretive Center & within the park. We attended a Star Party, hiking with shelter dogs, and several other programs during the two weeks we were camping here. Normally there is a hotel & restaurant within the park, but it was closed for renovation while we visited. The park & surrounding area were great for wildlife viewing. We saw tons of javelinas, wild hogs, aoudads, roadrunners, a bobcat, Montezuma quail, mule deer, pronghorn, and probably others that I am forgetting to list. The park is located close to Fort Davis National Historic Site, McDonald Observatory, Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute, and the town of Fort Davis which has a couple restaurants, shops, grocery store, and hotels. We loved Stone Village Market for soup & sandwiches & the train car across from Fort Davis NHS for ice cream. We really enjoyed the Star Party at McDonald Observatory, which are held on Tuesday, Friday & Saturday nights. Overall, we really enjoyed our stay here & will definitely be back on our next trip through the area."

"Had a phenomenal time at Davis Mountains State Park! We got a great spot for our 38ft RV With all the hookups water, electricity, and sewage. Park Rangers were so kind and helpful. The Mountain View’s and hiking are stunning no internet or service in some spots (the top of the mountain has a tower) but it was such an awesome digital detox. Short drive into town Ft. Davis grab some ice cream at Jon’s Caboose and book a Star Party at the McDonald Observatory."

"My family and I recently visited Davis Mountain State Park for the Fourth of July weekend, and our experience was a mix of highs and lows. While there were some enjoyable aspects of the park, there were also some significant downsides. Upon arrival, I appreciated being greeted by a park ranger rather than having to go inside the office. However, the ranger we encountered was unfortunately quite grumpy and rude. Despite my attempts to engage her politely, she responded with a cold stare and demanded that I turn off my RV. This initial encounter left a negative impression. One major drawback of the park was the lack of cellular service. Given the mountainous terrain, it was expected, but as someone who works remotely, it was a significant inconvenience for me and my family. It's worth noting for others who rely on connectivity during their travels. On the positive side, the scenic beauty of the mountains was truly breathtaking, especially when we ventured up to the Mountainside to witness the stunning sunset. The mix of blue, orange, yellow, and red hues painted across the sky made it a highlight of our visit. For those interested, the trail or road to access the mountainside view is called the Skyline Trail. It's definitely worth exploring if you haven't been to this park before. In the evenings, the temperature dropped to comfortable levels, allowing us to enjoy the pleasant night air. This was a welcome respite from the extreme heat typically experienced during this time of year. A quirky and amusing aspect of the park was the presence of unusually large and mutated ants. These creatures were a novelty, but visitors should be cautious of their pincers. We took a walk along the Headquarters Trail from our campsite to the interpretive center. The trail itself was nice, albeit rocky, with red lava rocks scattered throughout. However, due to the lack of service and limited activities available, we made the decision to cut our stay short and head to Big Bend for the Fourth of July. While at the interpretive center, we encountered overcast weather and light rain, which prevented us from exploring the trails. However, the center provided a great view of the mountains, and our kids enjoyed engaging in activities such as coloring and participating in the Junior Ranger program. It was a pleasant spot to be in, especially with the scent of rain in the air. In summary, our experience at Davis Mountain State Park had its ups and downs. The beautiful scenery, particularly the sunset, was a definite highlight. However, the unpleasant encounter with a grumpy ranger, lack of service, and limited activities impacted our overall enjoyment. Therefore, we give Davis Mountain State Park a rating of three out of five stars."

"Excellent hiking trails and amazing views. The mountains are so beautiful whichever way looking at them. I particularly enjoyed the trails hiking up and down the mountains as amazing views await at each turn and ascend. The CCC constructions are everywhere and they are beautifully done. Unfortunately the lodge is closed for repair… which is a nice lodging option in Davis Mountains. Happy travels"