Davis MountainsBrochure |
Interpretive Guide of Davis Mountains State Park (SP) in Texas. Published by Texas Parks & Wildlife.
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INTERPRETIVE GUIDE
Javelina are a common sight in the Davis Mountains.
RISING FROM THE GRASSLANDS
OF THE CHIHUAHUAN DESERT,
THE DAVIS MOUNTAINS ARE A
SKY ISLAND – A MOUNTAIN
OASIS SURROUNDED BY A VAST
OCEAN OF DESERT BECKONING
YOU TO EXPLORE ITS SECRETS.
COOLER TEMPERATURES AND
INCREASED RAINFALL OFFER
PROTECTION AND ESCAPE
FROM THE HOT DESERT
LOWLANDS FOR PEOPLE AND
WILDLIFE ALIKE. THE WORK OF
THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION
CORPS LAID THE FOUNDATION
Davis Mountains State Park is a globally important birdwatching
area and premier stargazing location. You can also enjoy hiking,
mountain biking and day-use horseback-riding trails, camping and
park ranger-led programs. McDonald Observatory and Fort Davis
National Historic Site are nearby. We encourage you to tread lightly
and help protect this unique and sensitive environment.
• Keep Wildlife Wild – Please don’t feed or harass wildlife.
• Trash Your Trash or Pack it Out – It’s ugly and can make
wildlife sick.
• Take Only Memories and Pictures – Leave all plants, wildlife,
rocks and artifacts for future visitors to enjoy.
• Be Safe – Bring water and proper footwear for hikes. Know where
you are in case you need to call for help in an emergency. Many
trail areas do not have cell phone coverage.
• Stick to the Trails – Reduce impact and steer clear of things that
can poke, prick, bite or sting you.
• Protect Your Pets – Keep them on a leash no more than six feet
in length and please pick up after them.
• Be Kind to Other Visitors – Yield to visitors on horseback and
watch for mountain bikers.
• Protect Our Dark Skies – Home to some of the darkest skies in
Texas, we recommend using minimal campsite lighting.
Davis Mountains State Park
TX-118 N, Park Road 3, Fort Davis, TX 79734
(432) 426-3337 • www.tpwd.texas.gov/davismountains
Indian Lodge
16453 Park Road 3, Fort Davis, TX 79734
(432) 426-3254 • www.tpwd.texas.gov/indianlodge
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FOR THIS TEXAS TREASURE.
© 2020 TPWD. PWD BR P4501-0004E (4/20)
In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at
the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries.
TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender,
pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone
(TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and
Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041.
Texas State Parks is a division of the
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
DAVIS
MOUNTAINS
STATE PARK AND
INDIAN LODGE
M O U N T A I N S
S T A T E
P A R K
A N D
I N D I A N
L O D G E
CASSIE COX, TPWD
D A V I S
SKY ISLAND
CONSERVATION
The Davis Mountains are a place of undeniable beauty. At a mile above sea level, the
terrain, flora and fauna of this park differ from
the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert below.
Cottonwoods and willows
border Limpia Creek in the
northern portion of the park.
Large Emory oaks and gray
oaks line its tributary, Keesey
Creek, which runs through
the campground. When
flowing, both are precious
Montezuma quail
water resources for wildlife.
Canyon treefrogs, black-tailed rattlesnakes, Montezuma
quail, mule deer and an occasional mountain lion are
1935 CCC Camp set up while building the state park and lodge
I
ndian Lodge represents the pinnacle of CCC construction
in the state of Texas. The original 16-room structure was
considered an architectural masterpiece when completed
in 1935, and it has nobly withstood the test of time.
After carefully studying southwestern building design,
architect Bill Caldwell settled on a style reminiscent of the
sprawling pueblos of New Mexico, including a plaza-like
exterior courtyard. Nestled snugly on a Davis Mountains
hillside, Indian Lodge looks part of the landscape itself, and
for good reason. Utilizing centuries-old adobe construction
techniques, the men of CCC companies 879 and 881 molded
earthen bricks from a mixture of water, straw and soil excavated
on-site. They muscled tens of thousands of these 40-pound
blocks into place to form 18-inch-thick walls rising as high as
three stories. The lodge was finished with locally harvested,
hand-hewn pine vigas and river cane latilla ceilings adding
rustic charm to the historic lobby. Some of the cedar furniture,
hand carved by CCC Company 1811 of Bastrop State Park in
Central Texas, is still used today.
Keesey Canyon Overlook in Davis Mountains State Park
only a few of the animals that live here. Archeological
evidence shows that at least as early as 10,000 years ago,
Native Americans relied on the variety of plant and animal
life found in these mountains.
With land donated from local ranching families, Davis
Mountains State Park was one of the earliest Civilian
Conservation Corps projects in Texas. In the 1930s, enrollees
built the stone picnic tables, Skyline Drive, and the Lookout
Shelter which frames stunning panoramic views of the landscape below. Today, campers and picnickers enjoy the shaded
groves, flowing
creeks, and spectacular vistas that have
attracted humans
here for centuries.
Indian
Lodge
CASSIE COX, TPWD
MARK LOCKWOOD, TPWD
Increased rainfall and cooler mountain temperatures
encourage the growth of oaks, junipers and grasses that
cover the rugged terrain. Exposed igneous rock offers
a peek into the volcanic activity that formed these
mountains over 25 million years ago.
ARCHITECTURAL
MASTERPIECE
Living conditions for the workers were basic. Initially the men
lived in tents, but they were employed, escaping the economic
collapse of the Great Depression. They received three meals a
day, earned $30 per month, and learned useful skills.
The lodge has now expanded to a 39-room full-service hotel
and restaurant, retaining its original flavor; ongoing preservation
and restoration efforts ensure that its rich legacy continues.
CCC enrollees just removed
the forms and are preparing
to stack the bricks for drying.