Fort Davis was a United States Army Garrison established in 1854 to protect travelers and the mail on the San Antonio El Paso Road.  Other duties of the soldiers stationed here were scouting expeditions to control Indian movements and exploratory parties to gain knowledge of the area.  Fort Davis National Historic Site is one of the nation’s best preserved frontier forts.  The fort was occupied from 1854 through 1891 with the exception of the civil war years.  (1861-1865)  Several of the original buildings, restored and furnished to the period are open for your viewing.  You should allow one to two hours for your self guided tour of the fort.  Allow more time if the enlisted men’s barracks is open and staffed by park personnel in period dress.  An interpretative talk is given with plenty of time to answer your questions.  The commanding officer’s quarters is also periodically staffed by the commander’s wife dressed in full victorian finery.  At times the restored kitchen is opened by staff portraying an officer’s servant.  Call ahead to the park to inquire if any of the buildings will be staffed during your visit.  The 474 acre historic site is open from 8AM-5PM daily.  Admission is $3 per person.  16 years of age and younger are free.  If you have a National Parks Pass (America the Beautiful) or a Golden Age Pass admission is free.  You may bring your leashed pet on the grounds but not in the buildings.  Hiking trails at the site offer additional activity and you will be rewarded with spectacular views if you venture up to the scenic overlook.  Fort Davis National Historic Site os located on the northern edge of the town of Fort Davis, Texas.  www.nps.gov/foda 432-426-3224

 Watch a short video of these hummingbirds.

The tiniest of all birds descend on Texas every Spring as they migrate northward.  18 species of hummingbirds have been identified in Texas with 9 being common.  The greatest variety are found in West Texas.  The Davis Mountains and Chisos Mountains areas are great places to observe the black-chinned hummingbird, the black feathers on his throat catching the light and flashing a beautiful royal purple as the rapid beat of his tiny wings, up to 80 times a second produces the hum these birds are named for.  East of Interstate 35 including where we live in the Dallas/Forth Worth area the ruby-throated hummingbird is common.  To prepare your own hummingbird food mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water.  Bring the water to a boil, stir in the sugar, boil 2-3 minutes until sugar is dissolved and let cool.  Never substitute honey for the sugar.  It is toxic to the birds.  Red food coloring is not necessary.  The hummers feed every 10-15 minutes so you can expect a lot of activity at your feeder especially during migration.  It is recomended that  Texans leave their feeders up year round as some birds spend the winter in Texas.  At night they go into a hibernation like state called a torpor and arouse from it quickly as necessary.  The hummingbirds northward migration is timed to the blooming of certain flowers.  Many of them travel 2.500 miles from Mexico to Alaska. resting in South Texas after flying 500 miles nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico.  If you want to attract hummingbirds to your garden choose native plants of bright color with tubular shaped flowers.  25 percent of the hummingbird diet consists of insects so choose plants for your garden that attract insects as well.   When you are camping at Davis Mountains State Park in West Texas or Big Bend National Park set up your hummingbird feeder in a nearby tree and enjoy these tiny birds as they hover, fly up and down then backwards putting on one of nature’s greatest shows. 

The javelina is not really a pig but a member of their own family, the peccary.   Only one of the three different species is found in the United States, the collared peccary or javelina.  (have ah lee nah)  In Spanish javelina means spear or sword, referring to the tusk like sharp, cutting canine teeth  Adults weigh up to 60 lbs and are black and gray with a lighter colored collar.  Youths are reddish to yellow brown.  In Texas the javelina are mostly found in the arid regions of West Texas or the brush country of South Texas.  They travel a tight range of usually less than one mile in small herds sleeping in caves and feeding on grasses, mesquite beans, fruits, insects and their favorite food, prickly pear cactus which supplies at least half of their food requirement and most of their water needs.  They will forage for food in campgrounds.  Tent campers in Big Bend National Park are often advised to partially break camp and leave their tents flat on the ground for the day while they explore the park to prevent javelinas from raiding and tearing into tents and supplies.  At the nearby Davis Mountains State Park the javelinas make the rounds of the campground at dawn and dusk rooting around for food.  As with all wild animals people should not feed them.  They are rarely agressive towards humans unless cornered however they will cripple or kill an approaching dog who perhaps reminds the javelina of the coyote who preys on their young.  When they come around you will probably smell them before you actually see them due to a musk gland on top of the rump releasing a strong odor especially if alarmed.  They have poor eye sight but excellent hearing.  If they stay and rummage around your campsite you can scare them off with loud noises.  They are very vocal and good runners.  They may snort, squeal and whoof as they take off at speeds up to 21 mph.  In Texas javelinas are game animals and may be hunted with  a license during hunting season.  Other predators include bobcats, coyotes and mountain lions.

 NPS/Ron Sprouse

August 27th, 2008 marks the 100th birthday of the 36th President of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson.  Since his death on January 22nd, 1973 an annual wreath laying ceremony has taken place at his grave site on the LBJ Ranch.  It will take place at 10:30 A.M. kicking off a day’s worth of activities highlighted by the first ever opening of LBJ’s Texas White House Office now restored to the 1963-1968 time period.  The Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park will distribute free tickets at the airplane hangar on the ranch for the 20 minute guided tours of the newly opened office including the grounds of the ranch.  Also for the first time ever private vehicles will be permitted to drive on to the ranch.  Obtain a free driving permit at the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site Visitor Center across the Pedernales River.  You will receive a map and audio CD for your own self-guided tour.  This is a test program until September 30, 2008 at which time National Park Service bus tours will resume.  LBJ died at the age of 64 after a 3rd heart attack. In his will he left his ranch to the public with the provision that it remain a working ranch.  August 27th is a legal Texas State Holiday.

We drove out to Big Bend National Park for the day while we were camped at Fort Davis State Park.  You may ask what you can do in Big Bend National Park if you are only going to be there for the day and the drive to get there is 150 miles each way.  The answer is not a whole lot however we did have a purpose for the side trip.  We have signed up to volunteer at Chisos Basin Visitor Center for three months in the summer of 2009 so we wanted to check out where we would be working and living.  We drove from Fort Davis on Hwy 118, through Alpine and on to Terlingua and Study Butte to the entrance on the west side of Big Bend National Park.  We stopped in at the Panther Junction Visitor Center first then headed up the 6 mile narrow windy road to Chisos Basin with it’s sharp curves and steep grades.  The visitor center is small but interesting with exhibits and items for sale.  The campground is nothing more than a rocky outcrop.  At 5,400 ft above sea level the summer weather is pleasant and it is of course surrounded by the magnificent Chisos Mountains however the camping spaces are small, not level and have no amenities.  (By this I mean water and or electricity.)  There is a comfort station with flush toilets but no showers.  There is a sink for dishwashing only. Trailers up to 20 ft are allowed however this campground is really best suited for the tent camper.  There is a campground host site with full hook ups (they frequently have openings for campground hosts) however this site was also rocky, not level and no shade.