The wild and remote Davis Mountains are among Texas’ most awe-inspiring natural areas, evoking the rugged cowboy heritage of the Lone Star State. Formed by volcanoes and sculpted by wind and water, the Davis Mountains rise more than 8,300 feet above sea level out of the expansive Chihuahuan Desert. While the Trans-Pecos, the area west of the Pecos River, is true desert habitat, the Davis Mountains are temperate and forested—an anomaly in an arid land. The Davis Mountains Preserve is home to canyon watersheds that feed Little Aguja, Limpia, Madera, and Cherry Creeks—water sources that support diverse wildlife and are crucial habitat for rare aquatic species. The sky island also contains plants and animals unable to survive in the harsh, arid desert below and provides refuge for sensitive species like the Rivoli’s hummingbird. Additionally, the preserve provides important wildlife corridors with minimal human presence, a requirement for large mammals such as black bear.
