Fort Davis
Buffalo Soldiers, a world-class observatory, and the sky that launched a thousand stargazers
Quick Facts
April through October.
About Fort Davis
Fort Davis sits in the Davis Mountains at 5,050 feet elevation — the highest town in Texas — and it feels like it. Ponderosa pines shade the streets, the air is clean and cool, and the night sky is so dark that McDonald Observatory was deliberately built here to escape light pollution. Fort Davis National Historic Site preserves the frontier military post where the Buffalo Soldiers served, and the Davis Mountains State Park offers some of the most dramatic hiking in Texas.
Things to Do
McDonald Observatory Star Party
The University of Texas's McDonald Observatory offers public Star Parties Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, with professional astronomers guiding you through telescopes up to 36 inches in diameter. The Frank N. Bash Visitors Center has excellent daytime exhibits and solar viewing.
Fort Davis National Historic Site
One of the best-preserved frontier military posts in the American West. The Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th and 10th Cavalry regiments served here from 1867–1891, and the park honors their often-overlooked contributions to protecting settlers and opening the Trans-Pecos.
Hike the Davis Mountains
Davis Mountains State Park offers the Skyline Drive Trail and the Tobosa Trail, with views of volcanic peaks and high desert grasslands. The Scenic Loop (TX-118 and TX-166) is one of the best drives in Texas.
Indian Lodge
A 1930s Pueblo-style hotel built by the Civilian Conservation Corps inside Davis Mountains State Park. The 39-room lodge has a pool, restaurant, and the most atmospheric lodging in West Texas outside the Gage Hotel.
Where to Eat
Drug Store Restaurant
Inside a 1913 pharmacy building, this beloved spot serves consistently excellent burgers, sandwiches, and daily specials that have been feeding generations of Fort Davis visitors.
Stone Village Market
A grocery store-turned-local-gathering spot with deli food, a great wine selection, and the best cheese plates in Jeff Davis County.
🗺️ Getting There
26 miles north of Marfa on TX-17. 100 miles southeast of El Paso.
📅 Best Time to Visit
April through October. The high elevation keeps it cool all summer. Spring wildflowers in the Davis Mountains are spectacular.
🤠 Did You Know?
“At 5,050 feet, Fort Davis is the highest town in Texas. The elevation difference between Fort Davis and the Rio Grande Valley 90 miles away is over 4,000 feet.”