Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Fort Davis, TX

This is a historic ranch down the road from Fort Davis.  The ranch serves as a summer camp for kids and groups and we did arrive in Nov so it was like having the place to ourselves (not sure how it would be with lots of kids around!).  There are two locations for RV parking; front and rear.  We stayed in the rear, but would pick the front next time.  The rear was private, but the front seemed to have less building obstacles for night sky and sun setting viewing.  The road is not active at all it seems ... very much off the beaten path.

Our spot was a back in and did require leveling, but had full hook ups.  There is no set dog park area (not a big deal!). The horse corrals and horses were a great site to see. The buildings could use a fresh coat of paint and the landscaping could use a few flowers and decorative improvements, but we were not there for the RV spots, but for a short stay and hiking.

We entered from the north side of town and was a little skeptical, but eventually we arrived and were happily surprised.  They do have horse back riding available at all times; however we chose to hike the near by hills in the state park ... be prepared for the walk is on rocky, shale, hills so extra work on the leg muscles but WELL worth it!

The staff is very very welcoming and knowledgeable of local attractions ... There is Fort Davis you can walk through, hiking at Prude Ranch, hiking in the state park, and a 2 - 3 hour drive that has local natural sites you can see from the car.

We only stayed here one night passing through west Texas on our way home, but I’m glad we discovered this place. The camping was pretty close together, so I’d probably want to find dispersed camping when we go back, but the campground had full hookups, bathrooms, and showers. The campground was also about 5 minutes from town, and Fort Davis is pretty adorable. The stars are amaaazing out there, though. So pretty! We definitely had some critters who visited us during the night because our dog’s water bowl was chewed up! Will go back.

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!

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!

We had a blast staying at this campground!! We biked and hiked and enjoyed a sunset picnic from the overlook. It's convenient to visit Fort Davis and the McDonald Observatory. If your plans take you near this State Park - definitely check it out!!

This is another Texas favorite. We have camped here 3 times this year. It’s a large camping area near the town of Fort Davis Texas. The campground is next to the Indian Lodge which is a must see. The adobe lodge was built in the 1930s the Civilian Conservation Corps. The campground has excellent facilities including showers, water, and a dump station. The sites tend to be close together and crowded during peak season. If you have an RV or van you will need levelers. Many of the sites are uneven or angled. Lots of wildlife including the javelinas and mule deer.

This is my second review of Davis Mountains State Park.  So many great trails to explore. Campsites are well spaced and fully equipped.  Not far away is Fort Davis if you need to re-supply.  Not far away is McDonald Observatory with really great tours and Star Parties.

My grandson, my dog and I set up our tents in a fully equipped (electricity, water and a table) and fairly level site.  The site was convenient to everything if you don't mind walking.  Why should you as this park is made for hiking.  Numerous trails.  Some short. Some long. Some easy.  Some not so easy.  The park is also a place for great views of the area and a great place to hang out waiting for the Star Party at the McDonald Observatory.  You will also like the dark sky at night if you brought your telescope.

Only drawback I would say is the lack of a gift shop for souvenirs, snacks, and toiletries you forgot to pack.  The backup is a drive to the nearest town Fort Davis.

Also cell phone and wifi services are only available by driving up to one of the vistas. Easiest is the vista about half-way up Skyline Drive

(Full disclosure: I am on the board of nonprofit Mobile Comunidad, which operates the Mountain View Lodge & Cafe)

The Mountain View is a great place to stay while visiting the Davis Mountains / Big Bend region, convenient to McDonald Observatory, Fort Davis National Historic Site, Marfa, Alpine, and further to Big Bend National Park. All proceeds from the lodge and cafe help fund programs such as free lunches for school kids, food pantry food distributions, a bookmobile and more. You will enjoy our hospitality and the cafe serves a great breakfast and the best burgers around.

Our staff will go out of their way to make your visit as enjoyable as possible. Check our reviews on other sites to see how folks like us. Happy trails!

Between the elevation and the dark skies, the nights are spectacular. We have stayed in August 2 years in a row and we loved the cool evenings to sit out and watch the stars. They have a lot of great trails, and you never know what wildlife you will see. We have seen Mule deer, Javalenas, Audad, as well as numerous birds I had never seen before. The McDonald Observatory is close by and the drive around to Marfa is Beautiful. We always go into Fort Davis at least once to eat at the old store. The Indian Lodge at the park also has a very good restaurant. It is only open for Breakfast and Lunch, and it is closed Sunday and Mondays.

Davis Mountains State Park is a great home base to explore the area. We like to visit McDonald Observatory and the Fort Davis National Monument while we are there.

There are several campsites, some with water only, water and electric, and one that also has sewer. Some are tight for larger RV's and the sites are pretty close together.

The Indian Lodge is also on site, I have not stayed there before but do know they are working on renovating it.

The park scenery is lovely. You'll see wildlife (javelinas seem to check out the campsites at dusk) and the bird blind is fantastic. I only give it four stars because the hiking and biking trails are not as good as other parks we've been to. The Old CCC trail up to the lookout is a must though.

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.

“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!

Love Alpine with its street art, food trucks, quaint downtown and history. Hiking up to see the desk on the grounds surrounding the Sul Ross campus is just one fun excursion. Also, the Big Bend Museum and Kokernot Field. 

The campground is set on the outskirts of Alpine and has pine trees around it. Unfortunately most sites that I saw don’t have much, if any, shade. That being said, there are lots of plusses for this campground. The staff is great, the site I was in was level and had full hook ups, the campground laundry is excellent and there’s also a community recreation room.

Good rates for a nice stopover in a great location in Big Bend country with a pet park, gift shop, pool/playground and cabins.

We stayed here one night in April 2021 and could have gladly stayed longer. Nice campground, with privacy between sites and some shade. There are good hikes right from the campground , which is nice. It’s much cooler here than other nearby parts of Texas and locals told us that this is generally true (not just when we were there). Some javalinas visited our campsite at night and ate our dog’s food (our fault for leaving it out). Nice spot, we would return here again.

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.

When we camped here (last June) we stayed at Dog Canyon, which is the less visited end of the park. To get to this entrance you actually have to cut into New Mexico and come back into Texas north of the main entrance where the visitor’s center is. The campground is nestled into Dog Canyon with mountains all around you and it was COMPLETELY empty when we arrived. It isn’t a small campground, but it apparently doesn’t get much traffic. There is one small ranger’s station with a few maps and a hummingbird feeder I could’ve watched all day, and usually a ranger who can answer any questions you have regarding the trails or wildlife. From the canyon you can do sections of a 14 mile loop or you can hike all the way back to the main visitor’s center (one way), although that is a bit much for a day. There are several primitive sites along the 14 mile loop as well as a couple of geocaches. I recommend being extremely careful with timing if you do the whole loop, as we got caught in a sudden afternoon storm about 3/4 of the way through. We saw tons of beautiful birds, some Barbary sheep, and lots of mule deer. The loop was a gorgeous hike and the campground overall was simplistic but perfect. There are no showers, only a bathroom and water fountain, and the nearest town is a bit of a drive back out of the mountains. A lot of the roads here flood and/or are rough dirt roads, so be prepared for that and make sure you have the right vehicle and maybe call ahead to see how bad the flooding has been. I highly recommend this park and campground to all adventure lovers!

Lots of diverse trails so you don’t get bored being there for a few days. Lots to explore both in and around the park. Dog-friendly, spacious campsites, incredible stargazing. Showers close to campsites, an added bonus when camping for 5+ days.