The Best Time To Visit This Underrated State Park In Texas Is Fall For Gorgeous Views

Texas may be well-known for its large metropolitan areas like Dallas, Ft. Worth, and Houston, but as the second largest state in the United States, it still boasts quite a bit of nature worth exploring. Included in its natural areas are national and state parks. Given Texas's southern location, outdoor exploring without bundling up does not have to be reserved for just the summer months. Among the beautiful destinations is Davis Mountain State Park.

Davis Mountain State Park is located three hours from El Paso and less than two hours from Big Bend National Park. While this makes it sound quite remote, Davis Mountains State Park is just a short detour off of Interstate 10 or Highway 90. This park has campsites, hiking trails, wildlife, and a nearby historic site. The best time to visit is fall due to the weather, fewer crowds, and fall foliage which visitors can see from the park's scenic overlooks.

A popular hiking trail in Davis Mountains State Park is Skyline Drive Trail. As the name suggests, the Skyline Drive Trail is accessible at the parking lot on Skyline Drive near the Davis Mountains State Park Interpretive Center, which has exhibits on the local wildlife. You can enjoy the scenery just by driving along Skyline Drive as well. The end of Skyline Drive Trail is near the start of another trail which leads to Fort Davis National Historic Site just one mile outside of the park. Fort Davis was an 1800s military post created to protect those moving across Texas to bring supplies or settle in the western lands from Comanche and Apache tribes.

Follow the Skyline Drive Trail or the CCC Trail with similar beginning and ending points for sweeping views of the desert as you traverse through the mountains. Get more scenic views on horseback along the Limpia Creek Trail off of State Highway 118, but the horses must be your own. If you visit Davis Mountains National Park in the fall, look for bull grass turning to a reddish-purple color and cottonwoods turning bright yellow.

Visitors to Davis Mountains State Park can choose from RV camping to remote, primitive camping. Some sites have all the amenities for RV camping while some only have electricity or water. However, they all have restrooms, picnic tables, and fire pits. For those who want to fully immerse themselves in the deserts of western Texas, Davis Mountains National Park has primitive campsites available with none of the aforementioned accommodations. Campers must also hike around four miles to reach these distant campsites. If no type of camping sounds appealing, check out the relaxing hotel rooms and pool at the Indian Lodge (pictured above) inside the park. Staying overnight has the added bonus of stargazing as well.

Aside from the changing colors of the park's plant life, fall is the perfect time to visit Davis Mountains State Park because its busy season ends around Labor Day. Fall lets you take your time on the scenic drives and have better chances to book a campsite too. Additionally, by October and November the hot Texas heat becomes much more mild.