TX State ParksAn independent field guide

Davis Mountains State Park

State park in Jeff Davis County, in the Big Bend Country region. Established 1938. 2,733 acres by TPWD boundary data.

The entrance to Davis Mountains State Park in Fort Davis, Texas .
Photo: JasonReina, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Davis Mountains State Park is in the high desert mountains of West Texas, near Fort Davis. It has trails to scenic overlooks, some of the darkest night skies in the state parks (Bortle 3), and Indian Lodge, a 39-room motel the Civilian Conservation Corps built inside the park. Cell service is limited, and temperatures drop sharply after sunset, so bring a jacket year-round.

Things to do

Hike to the overlooks

The CCC built an overlook here, and trails lead to more. The Skyline Drive Trail is 2.6 miles one way, and TPWD rates it moderate to challenging. Sheep Pen Canyon Loop is 5.6 miles.

Stay at Indian Lodge

The historic lodge has 39 rooms, a restaurant, and a swimming pool for lodge guests only.

Stargaze

Night skies are dark here, rated Bortle 3 by TPWD.

Indian lodge restaurant in Davis Mountains State Park
Photo: Dontyoufanta, CC BY-SA 4.0
Rock outcropping behind Indian Lodge at Davis Mountains State Park, near Fort Davis, Texas.
Photo: Travis K. Witt, CC BY-SA 4.0
Davis Mountains State Park (Indian Lodge at far left)
Photo: Travis K. Witt, CC BY-SA 4.0

Trails

Trails listed by TPWD, with its own distances and ratings.

TrailDistanceDifficultyTime
Headquarters Trail0.3 mi. one-wayEasy10-15 min.
Montezuma Quail Trail0.9 mi. one-wayModerate - Challenging1 hr.
Indian Lodge Trail1.5 mi. one-wayChallenging1.5 hrs.
Skyline Drive Trail2.6 mi. one-wayModerate - Challenging2 hrs.
Limpia Creek Trail2.4 mi. one-wayModerate - Challenging2 hrs.
Sheep Pen Canyon Loop5.6 miModerate3-4 hrs.
Old CCC Trail1.6 mi. one-wayModerate1.5 hrs.

Source: TPWD trail list. TPWD doesn’t list trail surfaces. Printable trail map (PDF).

Camping

Campsites range from full hookup and electric to water-only, plus hike-in primitive sites and equestrian sites.

Site typeSitesSleepsPer night
Full Hookup CampsitesFull hookup268$25
Campsites with ElectricityWater and electric348$20
Campsites with WaterTent sites with water338$15
Primitive Campsites (Hike-in)Primitive4$10
Primitive Campsites (Equestrian)Equestrian68$10

Nightly rates are on top of the daily entrance fee. Book a site with Texas State Parks reservations, or call (512) 389-8900.

Visiting with dogs

Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than six feet. TPWD warns that rocky terrain can injure paw pads and that pets feel the heat on sparsely shaded trails.

State park rules also keep pets out of buildings and swimming areas. TPWD park rules.

Swimming

TPWD doesn't list swimming for this park.

Best time to go

Busy season
March through Labor Day
Rain per year
18.9 in.
Night sky
Bortle 3

TPWD lists March through Labor Day as the busy season. Winters often drop below freezing, with occasional snow. Summers have hot days and cool nights.

Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).

Getting there

TX-118 N., Park Rd. 3
Fort Davis, TX 79734
(432) 426-3337

Open in OpenStreetMap (30.5991, -103.9295)

From the nearest cities in this guide
FromApprox. driveStraight line
Midland3 hr 15 min146 mi
El Paso3 hr 53 min171 mi
Lubbock5 hr 14 min237 mi
San Antonio6 hr 39 min333 mi
Amarillo7 hr 14 min340 mi
Austin7 hr 27 min368 mi
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Nearby parks

  1. Indian Lodge1 miles away. Free entry. Swimming allowed.
  2. Balmorhea State Park25 miles away. $7 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  3. Chinati Mountains State Natural Area63 miles away.
  4. Fort Leaton State Historic Site77 miles away. $5 per adult, kids 12 and under free.
  5. Barton Warnock Visitor Center92 miles away. $5 per adult, kids 12 and under free.

Straight-line distance. See every park in the Big Bend Country.

Questions people ask

Can you swim at Davis Mountains State Park?

Only at the Indian Lodge pool, which is for lodge guests.

Is there cell service at Davis Mountains State Park?

It's limited in the park and the mountains.

How far is Davis Mountains State Park from Midland?

About three hours and 15 minutes by car, based on OpenStreetMap routing.

Photo credits

Sources

Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Davis Mountains has current alerts and closures.

  1. TPWD: Davis Mountains State Park, retrieved October 14, 2026
  2. TPWD state parks map (amenities, contact), retrieved October 14, 2026
  3. TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Public Areas, retrieved October 14, 2026
  4. TPWD: Bortle ratings by region, retrieved October 14, 2026
  5. TPWD: Davis Mountains State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
  6. TPWD: Davis Mountains State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
  7. TPWD: Davis Mountains State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
  8. TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
  9. TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Boundaries (area computed from boundary), retrieved October 14, 2026
  10. Wikipedia: List of Texas state parks, retrieved October 14, 2026
  11. OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
  12. Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026