One of the gateways to the Big Bend region, Fort Davis, Texas began as a U.S. Army post in the mid-1800s at the intersection of two important mail routes. Located in the Davis Mountains, Fort Davis has an elevation of 5,050 feet, providing a cool respite from the heat of the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert–and giving it the name the “Highest Town in Texas.” Whether your interests lie in history, hiking or stargazing, you’ll find that the best things to do in Fort Davis checks all the boxes!
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Best Things to Do in Fort Davis
Learn About Local Fauna at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center.
Located five miles south of Fort Davis, this extensive nature area was established in 1974 to preserve and study the fragile desert ecology. Explore several miles of hiking trails, a desert botanical garden, a greenhouse with various native cacti and succulent species and other exhibits among the Center’s 500 acres of high desert landscape.
Enjoy Cooler Weather at Davis Mountains State Park.
As you might guess from the name, this park is located in the heart of the Davis Mountains, the most extensive mountain range that’s fully contained within the state boundaries. The park’s mile high location makes it a cool getaway in a hot region during much of the long Texas summer.
Miles of hiking trails invite you (and your dog) to explore and to enjoy the scenic vistas of this park. At night, take in the blanket of stars.
Davis Mountains State Park is home to well-known Indian Lodge, a 39-room hotel that has welcomed Texans for generations.
Explore Fort Davis National Historic Site.
Located at the site of the fort built in the mid-19th century to protect the 600-mile-long San Antonio-El Paso Road, Ft. Davis is considered one of the Southwest’s best examples of a frontier military post.
The park contains both renovated buildings and ruins, many created during the period the fort was abandoned during the US Civil War, leaving the region and the fort unprotected.
When federal troops returned to the nearly destroyed fort in 1867, they rebuilt the facilities using adobe and rock; these buildings today have been renovated.
The role of the fort as a protection for the mail and wagon train route continued until the conflicts in the region were settled in 1891.
Today the buildings can be seen on self-guided tours; some buildings are staffed with costumed docents during peak season.
Exhibits on the fort’s history can be seen at the museum housed in a reconstructed barracks.
A unique feature of the park is its audio recreation of the period of the period through bugle and hoofbeat sounds played several times throughout the day.
Do Some Stargazing at the University of Texas McDonald Observatory.
With its location far from any city lights, the University of Texas McDonald Observatory facility is considered one of the world’s best astronomy research facilities.
Visitors can join guided tours of the 107-inch Harlan J. Smith Telescope, used by NASA, and the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET), the third largest telescope in the world.
Star parties and public viewings are scheduled throughout the year.
The observatory is located 16 miles northwest of Ft. Davis on TX 118.
Check out Hotel Limpia.
Built in 1912 and styled in art deco, the historic Hotel Limpia on the town square is constructed of locally mined pink limestone and boasts the only bar in Jeff Davis County.
The hotel is home to the Blue Mountain Bistro restaurant, the bar, some kitchenettes, some microwaves, and some in-room hot tubs, and cable TV. (Travelers with dogs will be welcome with a per day surcharge.) The hotel is located at 101 Memorial Square.
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For More Information
- visit the Fort Davis Chamber of Commerce, www.fortdavis.com