Fort Davis National Historic Site

Park altitude is 4856 feet (1480m). Yearly temperatures average 75° (high) and 45° (low), with 16 inches of precipitation. Wind is common throughout the year.

Individual Fees: $3.00

Children age 8 through 14 can earn a badge or patch by doing the "Mystery of the Talking Walls." Under adult supervision, children follow a map and gather clues; they then have to DECODE a secret message. Allow 1 1/2 to 2 hours to complete. We also have a Junior Ranger Program for children under 8.

Curriculum-based education programs are also available for school groups.

Davis Mountains State Park and Indian Lodge State Park are located four miles west of Fort Davis on Hwy. 118. Facilities include camping for tents, full hookups for RVs and showers, as well as an interpretive center, trails for hiking, wildlife viewing areas, and picnic areas. Indian Lodge, located within Davis Mountains State Park, is a historic pueblo-style accommodation with a full-service restaurant and gift shop.

Scenic Loop is a 75-mile drive through the Davis Mountains. This tour takes you past Davis Mountains and Indian Lodge State Parks, McDonald Observatory, Fort Davis National Historic Site, Mount Livermore (8,382 feet / 2,780 meters), Sawtooth Mountain (7,746 feet / 2,600 meters), and the Rock Pile. A large picnic area is located in Madera Canyon.

McDonald Observatory is located sixteen miles northwest of Fort Davis on Hwy. 118. McDonald Observatory Visitors' Information Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The Visitors' Center is the check-in point for all daytime and evening visitor activities. A one-hour guided tour of some of the telescopes is offered at various times. Star parties with night viewing through the telescopes are also offered.

Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute is located four miles south of Fort Davis on Hwy. 118. The arboretum features a living collection of trees and shrubs from throughout the region, while the greenhouse houses over 240 species of Chihuahuan Desert cacti and succulents that are propagated for research and exhibition. The Visitors' Center contains exhibits on the natural diversity of the Chihuahuan Desert, as well as the Leapin' Lizard Nature Shop.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park, about 160 miles away, preserves the rugged spirit and remote wilderness of the American West. There, in the ancient mountains that tower so majestically into the Texas sky, a visitor can delight in grand views, diverse landscapes and small pleasures. Campgrounds and Visitor Centers are located at the Park Headquarters near Pine Springs, at McKittrick Canyon, and at Dog Canyon.

Big Bend National Park, about 130 miles away, was named for the great turn the Rio Grande River makes at the border of West Texas and Mexico, contains over 800,000 acres. Three scenic highways provide access to the park. From Marathon take US 385, from Alpine take Texas Hwy. 118, and from Presidio take FM 170. Campgrounds are located at Rio Grande Village (also an RV park), Chisos Basin, and Castolon.