Davis Mountains State Park

CAMPSITE #51 ~ ALONG KEESEY CREEK.

A retreat from the desert, Davis Mountains State Park was home base as we crisscrossed through Big Bend Country.

We visited during the Thanksgiving Holidays, with pleasant 70° temperatures by day dipping into the ’30s and ’40s at night. The stars are abundant in this region, known for some of the darkest skies in the country.

Located about 30 minutes north of Alpine, this state park is nestled in the Davis Mountains and is truly a hiker’s paradise.  The park is near Ft. Davis and the McDonald Observatory (home to some of the darkest skies in the USA); both worth a visit.

I have never traveled to Texas’ Big Bend Country before (it is a nine-hour drive from my home near Houston), and I underestimated the beauty of this region. We are already planning a trip back!

TRAVEL PHOTOS, TRIVIA & TIPS:

Make your reservations early. The Davis Mountains is a top-rated state park that fills up quickly, especially around holidays.

Our campsite, Site #51, offers water & electricity and crushed gravel that is relatively level. There are sites with full hook-ups, but none is available during our stay (we booked 3+ months in advance).

This park has WiFi, but park rangers are pretty honest that the WiFi and your phones may not work well.  You can find the best signals at Skyline Drive Overlook and Wildlife Viewing. In all fairness, our phones were almost useless anytime we were away from a nearby town. Keep that in mind, and bring a paper map!

Make sure to drive, hike, or bike (a workout) up to Skyline Drive Overlook. The Skyline Trail  brings you right to the top, but we made our way by twisting up the road in our rental car, “ol’ Spot.”

A must-do is to visit the McDonald Observatory. We went to one of their “Start Parties.” Note: you MUST reserve in advance as they often fill up.

Make sure you also check out the historic Indian Lodge, built in the 1930s. The hotel was created by the CCC crews that also built Bastrop State Park. If you want to leave the camping behind, book a room at this rustic luxury lodge. Find out more information here:

Rental Cars:

Talking about our rental car, ol’ Spot, here she is. The dealer gave her the name because of the condition of the paint.  This photo shows one large spot on the trunk of ol’ Spot, but she is covered with them on the hood, too.

Since we did not have a tow vehicle for this trip, we rented a car from the only rental car dealer in Alpine (name intentionally omitted).

If you reserve a car with them, make sure you ask what type of car you will get (i.e., how old/condition). They have some newer cars, but we didn’t get one (I forgot to ask), and I knew we were in for a treat when the man gave us the keys and said, “Looks like you got ‘ol Spot.”

Ol’ Spot was nothing to look at, had to work extra hard to provide A/C, and drove like a boat, but she was dependable as we drove all around Big Bend country. Fortunately, her “low tire pressure” indicator light didn’t come on until the day we returned her to the dealer.

I must admit I have no travel memories of other cars I’ve rented on a trip, but I’ll never forget ol’ Spot.

For more information on Davis Mountains State Park, click here.

Happy Trails,
Mrs. Padilly