Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Marfa, 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.

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.

I reserved via Hipcamp to “self camp" in the gravel parking lot for $20/night. No hook ups, but generator use is allowed. Campers also have access to the on site facilities which include showers, potable water (not to fill tank), hammocks and grounds.

No shade in the parking lot and very dusty. Actually was there when a dust storm occurred. Unreal! For a quick stopover and to visit Marfa, this was okay. I recommend checking out the Marfa lights viewing area for dry camping. Also check out downtown Marfa and the iconic Hotel Paisano.

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 ;)

This place is right next to El Cosmico which is the well-known (and high-priced) option in town. These grounds are very basic, with lots of older trailers and full-timers in most of the occupied spaces. While not the most luxurious place, the real draw is the fact that you can walk into town and explore Marfa from your campsite (and the Chianti Foundation is very close by, but closed during COVID).

Basic amenities are available including a laundry room and sites have full hookups. It's not the fanciest, but if you're looking for location over luxury, this is a great spot to park in Marfa.

We were at the Marfa lights viewing center and started looking for places to camp when we came across this place on Dyrt. I happened to have a hunting license and decided to take a chance. We got there and it looked like someone’s ranch, but found a registry office noting who you are and your hunting id on a card. We drove a mile or so into nowhere until we saw camp structures. No one was around so we drove around to find the perfect spot. Texas red ants are abundant so be weary of tent camping, besides that this place is peaceful! Their were rabbits hopping around and beautiful mountains including the “elephant” in the room. A rainbow appeared next to it and it felt unreal. I don’t know if we were just lucky that we were alone or this place might just be majestic. We’ll go back someday to confirm.

This State Park in the Big Bend area is remote and for me this is part of the wonder. Just getting here is an adventure and worth every mile driving into the park. It’s amazing that the CCC were able to build such an amazing lodge in this isolated and beautiful part of Texas. 

Site 47 has water and electric and was mostly level with wonderful shade, which is a rare commodity in this campground.  This site has a grand old cottonwood I was able to fit my RV under. 

I had no cell service (Verizon) even with a booster and when I needed to make contact (due to an RV mechanical issue) I had to hike the Lodge. Others who had ATT were able to get service when near the shower houses/restrooms. Not a big deal if you don’t need it. 

Lots to see and do in this area. Make sure to see the hoodoos and visit Ft. Davis and the Davis Mountain Observatory. Also nearby Alpine and Marfa.

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.

The park is close to Marfa and a very convenient location just outside the town, close to the road (good and bad). Close to the train but what isn’t in Marfa. The train only comes through a few times a day and was not an issue for us.
We arrived to find our name on the board and information about check in. Our assigned site was #6, a horrible site that really only had grass behind the hookups so you would always be walking around the trailer to get to the grass area. We called and texted the two numbers available and then moved to a spot that was not reserved (#4) which had a small tree and a very old and damaged picnic table which cost us an extra $20 (worth it but really for a tree and a bad table).
The surrounding sites did not have much shade and only a few had trees and I don’t remember seeing any other tables. Lots of ants everywhere but I i am not sure if anything could be done about that.
The bathrooms were very clean and functioned properly. The washer and dryer were a nice addition and asked only for $3 for using them which was reasonable. The kitchen area really needs some cleanup, looked like no one had used it or cleaned it in months, dishes in the kink and piled in the drainer, kind of a mess all over. The common fire pit was grown over with weeds and not very inviting.
This place could be so much more with a little TLC and cleaning.

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).

(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!

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!