Best Tent Camping near Balmorhea, TX

Great campground offering tent sites to FHUs for RVs. Great wildlife viewing areas and some awesome hiking trails.

My husband and I are on a three week camping trip from Dallas TX to various parts of California, and needed a stopping point so we choose Davis Mountains state park and it was perfect! The park is well maintained, bathrooms clean, nice hiking trails and beautiful fauna and flora. Bird watchers will love this place. We tent camped and three deer greeted us at our creek side campsite. If tent camping is not your thing, there are plenty of RV sites, and a great lodge. While in the area, we attended a star gazing party at McDonald Observatory, if you have never been, it’s a MUST SEE! They have parties on Tuesday and Saturday evenings, reservations needed, and remember, it gets chilly in the mountains at night. Caution, there is no cell service for miles around.

Davis Mpuntains is truly amazing. A great blend of high desert mountains, endless night skies, and incredibly friendly people. I stayed in a tent site (#69) on the end of the loop, as I thought the park would be crowded. But, to my surprise, in early March, it was not! There are sites with full hookups, hot showers, many many hiking trails, and even free Wi-Fi at the headquarters/park entrance! There is little to no cell signal (Verizon) anywhere in the park, except along the Skyline Drive, so be prepared with a booster, or, for a great escape! Excellent park :).

Tent sites are $15 a night, and, if you are a TX parks pass holder, you get half off your second night, and free admission to the park (admission is also charged in addition to camping fee if not a pass holder).

Pretty valley with hills and canyons, vegetation is mostly shrubs. Came here for the birding and hiking. There were a few ranger programs going on while we were here but didn’t catch any of them. Basic tent campsites are far apart which was great, but not shady (at least not by my raised-in-the-northeast standards). Quails running right by my tent made this especially memorable. Everything clean and well-maintained.

Punchline: super hip launchpad to check out the rest of the Marfa art scene. Okay- first off El Cosmico is by no means a natural setting- so if you're looking for that kind of camping, look elsewhere. This place clearly works hard to cultivate a new age artsy desert vibe. It offers a variety of accommodations- of which I've only tried out the tent camping and a teepee on one 14 degree night (they had electric blankets, I caved). In addition, they have some nicely restored trailers. It is super close to the middle of town and is a Marfa art destination in its own right. The communal bathrooms and kitchen area were impeccable, but they're outside so obviously get quite chilly in the winter. Gnarly icicles coming out of the faucets when I was there. It would be an awesome kitchen setup in slightly warmer conditions. I despise the term 'glamping'... this ended up being a relatively affordable way to check out Marfa ;)

The Davis Mountains State Park is an excellent park to visit for the whole family. The park and campsites are family friendly with bathrooms with toilets, sinks and showers. If tent camping is not your thing, there is a historic hotel within the park called the Indian Lodge. There are a number of campsites that run along a dry ravine that is lined with trees. The trees are great for shade and to hang hammocks. Be sure to bring 2" tree hunger straps because it is now required in all Texas State Parks. There is a little interpretive information and education center with displays about the local flora and fauna. There are a number of trails that start from the campground. If you arrive late in the day, but before the sun goes down, drive up the road to the top of the Skyline Drive Trail to catch the sunset. In the morning, hike up the Montezuma Qual Trail to see the sunrise over the nearby mountains. The Fort Davis Historic Site is close by the park and one can actually hike about 6 miles from the park to the historic site over a small mountain. Not far from the park is the University of Texas McDonald Observatory. They have Star Parties regularly which includes talks by astronomers and viewing of stars through large and powerful telescopes. The town of Ft Davis is nearby in case you need to resupply with food, drinks or other items. The town of Ft. Davis has a wonderful Fourth of July parade and celebration.

After staying in exclusively free, dispersed camping for some time, the $20 felt like a lot, but there are amenities and services, and was worth it- especially in TX where there is little free camping.

I called day of because online reservations can only be made 2 days in advance. The staff person was extremely friendly and helpful and booked me a site immediately over the phone, with a credit card to hold the reservation. I was so pleased to have a spot to call home for the night when I arrived some hours later.

If you’re camping in your car, ask for a tent site with a flat parking area. My site had a slanted parking area, so I parked sideways which ended up working out.

Bathrooms are very clean, and I saw no one in or around them when I used the facilities. My site had a water spigot as well. In the morning, someone came by to give me a day pass in case I needed to come and go. Alas, I had to head on- I wish I could have hiked here! It’s beautiful!

It felt very safe.

No service for ATT. Google got me there just fine, but be sure to put in the address ahead of time so when you lose service you can still get there!

“The stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas!” 

Tucked within the heart of the West Texas mountains and one of the darkest skies in the contiguous 48, lies this stunning State Park, built by the CCC in the 1930’s. The beautiful campsites offer privacy, space, and full hook-up amenities or rustic primitive tent sites. The bathrooms were clean, and the showers hot! 

During the COVID restrictions, it seemed that they were stepping up to keep their facilities safe, and open to the public. The efforts were appreciated and noticed. Though the park is somewhat small by Texas standards, the hiking and mountain biking options are challenging and varied. The views from the summits are worth the effort. 

As another State Park that offers birding locations, this area is a birder’s paradise with a gorgeous bird blind. Many migrating species include stops to this mountain range during their fly-overs, and we added a few new species to our life list.   

One gem inside this park is the historic, adobe inn, built by the CCC. While the name of the place, “Indian Lodge” comes from a time when that was considered honoring the first inhabitants of the area, the architecture remains a classic. It is simply beautiful and made us think about honeymoons, and anniversary getaways.  While we didn't stay, we got a tip that breakfast was great, so walked up there and got breakfast burritos to go.  They did not disappoint!

While many state parks won't allow vans and small campers in the primitive section of the campground, this one did...so bring your solar panel and save some money on your campsite.

One thing about Texas State Parks, we’ve met a huge number of Rangers who simply love their job. It’s clear that they are doing something right by the way the folks show pride in their work. I don’t know about you, but I draw inspiration from folks who really seem to love their job and their park.

Fort Davis is the closest town with groceries and gas, but don't miss out on funky Marfa, just a bit farther down the road.  And, the McDonald Observatory to the north is definitely worth a visit!

Oh were to start...this place has everything! Let's start with accommodations. They have primitive, primitive equestrian, water only, water and electric, full-hookups, Indian lodge and a historic motel on site. We went with my in-laws and they have an RV and my husband and I chose to tent camp at a water-only site. My in-laws brought their little dogs and it was very dog friendly here. The camp facilities were very nice. Bathrooms and showers clean and easily accessible from camp sites. Sited weren't overly crowded and there was a lot of shade and nice views.

Wonderful hiking trails! Every trail had a different view and variety of difficulty. Most trails no longer than 2 miles, but the views over the mountains were exceptional. I think my husband and I walked every trail we could find in the short time we were there and not a single one was disappointing. The wildlife and nature was exotic and something very rare within the Texas borders. Bird watching is a big thing here, not my thing, but it was still awesome to see! It is also a very equestrian friendly park as well. We saw a lot of people horseback riding the trails.

Fort Davis historic site is an awesome piece of history. They have so much education on the Fort Davis military post and it is a really cool experience. While we were there they were putting on shows in the amphitheater. Lots to learn about american history.

12 miles down the road is the McDonald Observatory which is a must see! I am a space girl. I studied astrophysics in college and it is a huge passion of mine. The McDonald observatory is one of the most education, breathtaking places. Perfect for everyone to learn about the skies and see things you've never seen before. Please take your kids here for an experience of a lifetime and check ahead for events going on.

My favorite moment at this park was just laying in the hammock under the stars with my hubby listening to the beautiful music nature delivers. I hope to go back again to enjoy more wonderful moments!

First off, drive in one route, then leave another way. Lots to see. (Keep an eye out for wild bores! Almost hit two on drive in) I entered from the north in Kent on TR-118 S. I exited on TR-118 E to TR-17 NE towards Balmorhea. This year everything was super green for September and was so beautiful, in a west texas way. Make sure to go up to the lookout point before you leave. Great views! Campsite was average. WARNING - Hard ground. Might have to MacGuyver a custom anchor for different tent pegs. I had to use rope to secure one peg because the only place it would sink in and not hit rocks was two feet away from the tent peg loop. Bathrooms and showers were great! Free showers! Look out for creatures. Was taking a shower when a spider with 3” legs started traversing the ceiling directly above me. Thats 6” wingspan. Big enough to freak me out. Still, i would come back for sure.

The Davis Mountains and the state park offer an opportunity for Texans to experience all the Trans-Pecos has to offer.

With close proximity to McDonald Observatory, Balmorhea, Alpine, Marathon, Marfa, and even close enough for a day trip to Big Bend & Terlingua, this campground is tough to beat.

The sites themselves are well cared for, with clean bathrooms and attentive hosts. The trails are modest but still offer some stunning views. The on-site, CCC built Indian Lodge is a beautiful work of architecture and history.

It’s hard to imagine this site being set up any better than it is.

Its in an amazing location, near Balmorhea, Big Bend, Marfa and Alpine. Its full of wild life and if your into bird watching its an incredible place to go with two indoor/outdoor viewing areas.The staff is wonderful with lots of outdoor and naturalist programs. the Davis Observatory is right up the hill. There are tons of hiking trails and lots of great terrain. Its a zero light pollution zone so bring your telescope or go to the observatory for a star party.I honestly cant say enough about this park its one of my favorites (which also makes me want to delete this review).

We stayed here for 4 nights and couldn’t have asked for a better stay! A lot of wildlife come within feet of your campsite; we saw mule deer and skunks and a bull snake during our stay. We didn’t have cell service at our campsite but did when we went up the scenic road. The park isn’t but a few miles outside of Fort Davis and you can get cell service there if needed. Also, there’s fuel/gas, a grocery store and a few restaurants in Fort Davis. Balmorhea is approx 45 minutes away and Marfa is only about 30 away and you can’t not go to the McDonald Observatory that’s only 13 miles away. Lots of fun places to explore here!

In west Texas lots of site variety- tents, trailers, rvs. Full hookup, water/electric, or just water. Found a good site for short trailer

We actually stayed here for a week, part of relocating from Texas over to the desert for the winter. 

The Pros:

• Easy in and out.  You can actually just go right to the back of the gas station there and cut left, big entrance area, though going to the right of the Saloon and restaurant does put you going the right way for....

• Large, long spots.  Now, some have a cone in them, I'd guess some problem with one of the three hookups, but I don't know.  Some of them are also overgrown.

• Plenty of room, really.  This isn't a place people stay for long, being next to the highway, I would guess.  So when you're trying to "reserve" a spot on the phone, it'll pretty much be "just come on".

• During our stay we had reliable power and water, no issues.  Decent water pressure as well.  We did hit some freezing overnights so I just filled the tanks and we ran off that until we left.  I didn't actually hook up to the sewer at all.

• The onsite bar and restaurant isn't bad.

The Cons:

• Not really a problem for me, but you ARE next to a truck stop and a highway, but honestly, I didn't hear them really at all during the night unless I was listening for it.

• There was someone with loose dogs.  As a former traveling-with-dog RVer, that annoys me to a VERY great deal.  I don't know your dog, mine always seemed to get attacked.  Keep your dog on a leash, please.

• Again, not a problem for me, but the bar/restaurant is very right wing Republican.    F*** Biden flags, Trump Won, etc.  Just warning you.  The patrons and staff didn't say or do anything untoward, but if this kind of stuff bothers you and you're easily offended, just be aware.

• It took me second time to realize that my chicken fried steak wasn't just awesomely tender, but rather I'm pretty sure it was hamburger.  The batter and gravy was good, really, all the food was good.  (Though we did feel a little ripped off at 5 or 6 small onion rings for $6.99.)   There is a great Mexican restaurant in town (as much as there is any town to Balmorhea), too, be sure to check hours and such.  It's called La Cueva de Oso.

For many years Ft Davis was one of our regular destinations during spring break. That part of Texas is breathtaking in the spring. We have had javelina come through even investigate our tent. So be sure to keep your spot clean and store all your food properly.

There’s a great hike that goes from the state park to the historic fort that I would recommend. It can be semi-strenuous but it’s well worth it.

Public camping for tents and RVs. Fishing at lake available, bait shop w some supplies. No firewood (Good luck finding firewood in town. Try the gas station called Uncles.). Free roaming cows made good neighbors.