Accommodations

If you plan far enough in advance, you may have the good fortune of staying at the immensely popular
Indian Lodge (Park Road 3, 432/426-3254, www.tpwd.state.tx.us [1], $90 d). Built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the multi-level pueblo-style hotel is nestled among the ridges of Davis Mountains State Park [2]. The rustic cedar furnishings and woodwork coupled with the whitewash-covered 18-inch-thick adobe walls provide a distinctly Southwestern visceral experience. The lodge also features a full-service year-round restaurant and an outdoor swimming pool.

Another popular lodging option in Fort Davis [3] is Hotel Limpia (100 Main St., 432/426-3241, www.hotellimpia.com [4], rooms range $85–$195), a beautifully restored 1912 hotel containing period furnishings, four buildings, and a cottage. The charming guest rooms and welcoming courtyard garden with rocking chairs and lush vegetation offer a pleasant respite from city life.

Those in search of a newer facility will find solace at the downtown Harvard Hotel (109 N. State St., 432/426-2500, www.harvardhotelandlodge.com [5], rooms range $95–$125). This rustic-looking yet modern-feeling facility offers rooms with DVD players, refrigerators, microwaves, and Internet access.

With its quaint downtown and abundant natural beauty, Fort Davis [3] is an ideal place to stay in a B&B. One of the best in town is The Veranda (210 Court Ave., 432/426-2233, www.theveranda.com [6], rooms range $95–125). Located just a block away from the beautifully restored Jeff Davis County Courthouse, the Veranda’s 13 antique-bedecked suites feature 12-foot-tall ceilings, private baths, and free Wi-Fi service. The inn also boasts walled gardens and quiet courtyards with rocking chairs and tables in the shadow of Sleeping Lion Mountain.

Just down the road are the cozy and comfortable Butterfield Inn Cottages (201 State St., 432/426-3252, www.butterfieldinn.com [7], cottages range from $80–150). Each of these mini-homes contain fireplaces, recliners, refrigerators, microwaves, and private baths with Jacuzzi tubs.

Aside from Big Bend, the best camping in the region is at Davis Mountains State Park [2] (Hwy. 118, 432/426-3337, www.tpwd.state.tx.us [1]). The park’s northern section is the Limpia Canyon Primitive Area, a special-use district with 10 miles of backcountry hiking trails and primitive tent campsites. The park’s developed facilities are south of Highway 118 and include restrooms with showers, campsites with water, electricity, sewer, and cable TV connection, and nine miles of hiking trails, some leading to Fort Davis [3] National Historic Site.

Those traveling in RVs may want to hook up in downtown Fort Davis [3] at the Overland Trail Campground (307 N. State St., 432/426-2250, www.texascamping.com [8]), offering cable and Wi-Fi service, a laundromat, showers, tent areas with water and electric, fully equipped cabins, and a biker camping area with accessible facilities.