Month: June 2017

Fort Davis and the Davis Mountains

I’d never been to Fort Davis and the Davis Mountains, but I’d had several requests for images from that area. I know how much I loved exploring Big Bend National Park and Guadalupe Mountains National Park, so I was curious to see what this little state park and national historic site had to offer. In early June, I loaded up the car and with a wife and two little girls in tow (school was out) headed west on I-10 from my home in the Hill Country, branched south in Fort Stockton, and soon found myself in Alpine.

On trips like this, my wife knows my working hours are at sunrise and sunset. The rest of the time is family time – and since it was so hot, much of that time was spent at the hotel pool.
Fort Davis National Historic Site was interesting, especially if you are a native Texan or history buff. The restored grounds near the town of Fort Davis offer visitors a chance to see how life was like more than 100 years ago. From 1854 to 1891, this remote military outpost protected the interests of both Texans and the United States, primarily from marauding Indians such as the Apache and Comanche. Fort Davis was designated as a national landmark in 1960.

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Fort Davis Barracks 3 : Prints Available

Officers’ quarters at Fort Davis provide an opportunity to learn about life here on this military outpost from the mid to late 1800s. Officers and Enlisted Men served and protected the frontier at this remote station nestled in the Davis Mountains.

Connected to Fort Davis is the Davis Mountains State Park. While not large, this little park offers. The elevation of this area is between 5,000 and 6000 feet, high for Texas standards. The mountains provide nice vistas, and several trails wind through the 2700+ acres. One trail, the Skyline Drive Trail, connects with the old CCC trail and leads to the Fort Davis Historic site.
And with the wife and kids still sleeping, I made my way to several prominent views at sunrise each morning, shooting the wonderful first light of each day. The west Texas skies also provided nice sunsets with clouds full of color.

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Davis Mountains Sunset 2 : Prints Available

I returned to this location in the Davis Mountains several times on my most recent visit. Each time, the sky offered something different. Pinks and purples lit up the sky, turning the Texas landscape into a palette of soft pastels in contrast to the prickly pear, yucca, and thorny bushes that lined my path to this point.

All in all, this was a nice excursion. We found a good pizza joint in Alpine that we visited a few times (Guzzi Up) and we tried the ritzy and famous Reata in Alpine, as well. Unfortunately, despite good reviews and recommendations, the more expensive meal (by a lot) was a big disappointment for all of us. It was certainly not up to the standards of its Fort Worth cousin.
More to come…

Via con dios, Texas.
~ Rob
Images from Texas

Catching up in June

It’s been a while since I’ve had time to add to the blog. Wildflower season in Texas has come and gone. Unfortunately, it departed the same way it arrived – with more of a whimper than anything else. The rains were sparse this spring. Bluebonnet fields were few and far between – only a small patch of blue near Marble Falls and another out a dirt road south of Mason were the prizes of the year. Vast fields of Indian Blankets (aka Firewheels) never materialized, though there was some inconsistent coverage here and there. So maybe next year will be better? We’ll see.

In good news, my second book was published by Far Country Press, hitting the internet shelves of Amazon as well as stores around the state. I have to admit it feels surreal to see my book on sale at an airport kiosk at ABIA. Now there is talk for a third book, but my publisher isn’t sure of the details just yet. Still, it is nice that Far Country Press keeps coming back for more of my work.

An image book showcasing Texas Wildflowers from across the state.
My second book – Texas Wildflowers – published by Far Country Press

I’ve recently taken several trips to photograph the San Antonio area, as well as exploring the area around Alpine and Fort Davis for week in early June. The Davis Mountains are pretty nice this time of year, though it does get hot in the middle of the day. More about these treks in my next writing.

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Davis Mountains Sunrise 6 : Prints Available

The trails through the Davis Mountains offer stunning views of the Texas landscape. The Skyline Drive Trail wanders through the state park and connect with the CCC Trail, which eventually leads down into Fort Davis National Historic Site. This is a view along the path before sunrise on a warm June morning.

In the meantime, I’ll be rolling around Colorado while shooting up there for a portion of the summer.

Thanks for reading!
Via con dios, Texas.
~ Rob
Images from Texas