Looking towards Fort Davis from the top of Skyline Drive, Davis Mountains SP, April 2003
Overview
Davis Mountains SP is 2,709 acres in size and is located about 4 miles from the town of Fort Davis in West Texas. At an elevation of 5,000-6,000 feet (just over 1 mile high), the park is in the Northern Chihuahuan Desert and contains both plains grasslands and pinyon-juniper-oak woodlands.
Davis Mountains State Park is on the Far West Texas Wildlife Trail, site no. FWTX 23
Birds
Notable Species
Montezuma Quail, Curve-billed Thrasher, Cactus Wren
Rarities
Golden Eagle, Burrowing Owl, Rivoli's Hummingbird
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
Montezuma Quail, Wild Turkey, Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Common Black Hawk, Swainson's Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Eurasian Collared Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Greater Roadrunner, Western Screech Owl, Great Horned Owl, Elf Owl, Lesser Nighthawk, Common Nighthawk, Common Poorwill, White-throated Swift, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, American Kestrel, Western Wood Pewee, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Cassin's Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Loggerhead Shrike, Bell's Vireo, Plumbeous Vireo, Woodhouse's Scrub Jay, Chihuahuan Raven, Common Raven, Violet-green Swallow, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Cave Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Verdin, Bushtit, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Bewick's Wren, Cactus Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Western Bluebird, Townsend's Solitaire, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, Curve-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Phainopepla, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee, Spotted Towhee, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Canyon Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Black-chinned Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Hepatic Tanager, Summer Tanager, Western Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Black-headed Grosbeak, Blue Grosbeak, Bronzed Cowbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Scott's Oriole, House Finch, Pine Siskin, Lesser Goldfinch, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow
Other Wildlife
Mule deer, an occasional mountain lion, rock squirrel, black-tailed rattlesnake and canyon treefrog are some of the other wildlife you might see.
Site Information
History and Use
The park was developed between 1933 and 1935, with the aid of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The Indian Lodge, a hotel and restaurant within the park, and the Skyline Drive, remain as a legacy of the CCC's work. Native Americans first inhabited these canyons over 3,000 years ago.
Areas of Interest
- 9 miles of hiking trails
- Skyline Drive - scenic views of the park
- Bird feeding station, where the Montezuma Quail visit early in the morning (undergoing renovation - will be closed until the end of May 2013)
- Interpretive center overlooking the wildlife watering station, with hummingbird feeders
- 74 mile scenic loop drive through the Davis Mountains, accessed from the park entrance
- Nearby McDonald Observatory, only 12 miles from the Park, north on Hwy 118
Access and Facilities
Fees
- $6 per day, 13 and older, day use only
- Free for children of 12 and under
- Indian Lodge offers hotel accommodation and a restaurant - see Indian Lodge
Directions
The park is located on State Highway 118N. Take State Highway 17, 1 mile north of Fort Davis, then travel west on State Highway 118N for 3 miles to the Park Road 3 entrance, on the left.
Contact Details
Davis Mountains SP
P O Box 1707
Fort Davis, TX 79734
Tel: 432-426-3337
