As usual, after our arrival on Sunday (Dust Devil Day), it has taken us a few days to adjust to the mile high altitude of Davis Mountains State Park. Monday, the only outing we made was going to Porter’s Grocery Store in Fort Davis to shop.
Our other Monday activity, other than walking through each of the campgrounds, was to put up our tent to extend our outdoor living space. Late in the evening, after the sun dipped below the mountain, we saw two javalinas walking up the hill behind our campsite.

Every day, after dinner, we drive up Skyline Drive to pickup messages and use the Internet.

Tuesday’s forecast called for thunderstorms so we thought we would stay around camp and enjoy desert rains. It did rain but without thunderstorms.
It wasn’t entirely a blow off day. We made a schedule of activities:
- Wednesday
McDonald Observatory Tour
McDonald Observatory Tour - Thursday
Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute - Friday
Laundromat
Overland Trail Museum (Fort Davis)
McDonald Observatory Star Party - Saturday
Museum of the Big Bend at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas
Porter’s Grocery Store (Alpine)
Fort Davis National Historic Site Lecture at the DMSP Amphitheater (Dutch Oven Demonstration) - Sunday
Watch other campers pack up and leave - Monday
Fort Davis National Historic Site - Tuesday
Scenic Loop
Pack up campsite - Wednesday
Leave for Buckhorn Lake Resort in Kerrville
Things to do that didn’t make the list include (in no particular order):
- Prada Marfa
- Marathon Target
- Indian Lodge
- Very Large Base Array (VLBA) Site
- Madera Canyon Trail
- Davis Mountains Preserve
- Marfa and Presidio County Museum
- Hiking from DMSP to National Historic Site and back
- Main Street Fort Davis
We have been coming to Davis Mountains State Park since 2002 and have done nearly all these things before but it has been years. The refresh will be fun.
Additional recap posting for this trip are Dust Devil Day (before), Dutch Oven Demonstration (after) and Davis Mountains State Park Recap (after).
Hope to see you on the road ahead!
4 thoughts on “Adjusting to Altitude and Making Plans”