The Hills Are Alive in Madera Canyon, West Texas
If you want to have a Sound of Music moment in Texas, this is your place! It is located in West Texas near Fort Davis in a preserve owned by The Nature Conservancy and the panoramic views of the Davis mountains are stunning!
Trail
The trail is 2.5 miles, easy, and only partly uphill. The best part is that it forms a loop so you never see the same thing twice. It starts out flat and crosses a creek, then heads uphill. You can hike the entire thing in a couple hours.
Picnic Area
The tables are huge and its a very low trafficked area so plan to bring a picnic and relax after your hike.
Location
Just past the McDonald Observatory on Highway 118, about 24 miles northwest of Fort Davis. You may feel a little lost, but just be on the lookout for the Lawrence E. Wood Picnic Area signs and a string of picnic tables visible on the side of the road.
Kids
Carry little ones in a child carrier like this one on Amazon, or plan to only go to the first overlook. A 7 year old or above could do the whole loop.
What to Wear
You will need a hat, hiking shorts, low top hiking shoes, and an equipped day pack (<– click here to see my recommended packing list). Here’s my recommendation:
- Salomon Hiking Shoes
- Prana Pixie Tank or
- Wild Rose Apparel top (pictured below)
- Prana Olivia Short (pictured below)
- Tilley Airflo Hat (pictured below)
Favorite Part
The views. Nearly every overlook was spectacular, and the mountainsides were covered in pines.
Least Favorite Part
The pond we hiked to was a little underwhelming. Don’t expect some glacial lake here!
Things to Know and Important Links
- Pack a picnic
- On the way there, be very alert because you could miss it easily on the highway.
- The Nature Conservancy info on this property
- Map of Park
- Google Map of location
More pics
Fun times! Hope y’all get to enjoy it soon. Happy hiking!
