Davis Mountains

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For the Texas wine region around the Davis Mountains, see Texas Davis Mountains AVA.
Davis Mountains
Image taken in the Davis Mountains. The picture is taken from a relatively high elevation and shows a view across a broad valley toward a mountain with a much larger mountain behind. The valley and mountain in the foreground are covered in grasslands with stands of junipers while the higher mountain in the background is mostly wooded.
Davis Mountains
Highest point
Peak Baldy Peak atop Mount Livermore
Elevation 8,378 ft (2,554 m)
Coordinates 30°38′N 104°10′W / 30.633°N 104.167°W / 30.633; -104.167Coordinates: 30°38′N 104°10′W / 30.633°N 104.167°W / 30.633; -104.167
Geography
Country United States
State Texas
Geology
Period Paleogene
Type of rock Igneous
The Davis Mountains are a range of mountains in West Texas, located near Fort Davis, after which they are named. They are a popular site for camping and hiking and the region includes Fort Davis National Historic Site and Davis Mountains State Park. The historical and architectural value of the fort, along with the rugged natural beauty of the park are a significant destination for tourism in Texas.
Summit of Mount Locke

Origin and geology

The mountains are of volcanic origin composed of strata associated with eruptions of the Trans-Pecos Texas volcanic field 35 million years ago.[1] The highest peak in the Davis Mountains is Mount Livermore at 8,382 feet, and is the fourth highest peak in Texas.

Conservation

Recently, the The Nature Conservancy has acquired 32,000 acres (130 km²), along with conservation easements on 33,830 acres (136.9 km²) more. This parcel is open to the public at specified times.

Facilities

The McDonald Observatory is located on Mount Locke. It is accessed by Texas State Highway 118 which is the highest state maintained road in Texas at 6,791 feet.

Rolling hills in the Davis Mountains

Climate

Climate data for Mount Locke weather station, Texas. (Elevation 6,150ft)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 80
(27)		 79
(26)		 88
(31)		 94
(34)		 96
(36)		 104
(40)		 100
(38)		 104
(40)		 96
(36)		 94
(34)		 82
(28)		 80
(27)		 104
(40)
Average high °F (°C) 53.5
(11.9)		 56.9
(13.8)		 63.7
(17.6)		 71.4
(21.9)		 78.6
(25.9)		 84.5
(29.2)		 82.7
(28.2)		 81.3
(27.4)		 76.6
(24.8)		 70.5
(21.4)		 61.2
(16.2)		 54.4
(12.4)		 69.6
(20.9)
Average low °F (°C) 32.0
(0)		 33.9
(1.1)		 38.2
(3.4)		 45.2
(7.3)		 52.4
(11.3)		 58.2
(14.6)		 58.9
(14.9)		 58.4
(14.7)		 54.4
(12.4)		 48.0
(8.9)		 38.7
(3.7)		 33.6
(0.9)		 46.0
(7.8)
Record low °F (°C) −10
(−23)		 −6
(−21)		 4
(−16)		 11
(−12)		 26
(−3)		 36
(2)		 40
(4)		 40
(4)		 29
(−2)		 13
(−11)		 8
(−13)		 −2
(−19)		 −10
(−23)
Precipitation inches (mm) 0.68
(17.3)		 0.49
(12.4)		 0.40
(10.2)		 0.50
(12.7)		 1.63
(41.4)		 2.49
(63.2)		 3.83
(97.3)		 3.69
(93.7)		 2.95
(74.9)		 1.61
(40.9)		 0.61
(15.5)		 0.60
(15.2)		 19.46
(494.3)
Source: The Western Regional Climate Center[2]

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Davis Mountains.

References

  1. ↑ "40Ar/39Ar chronology and volcanology of silicic volcanism in the Davis Mountains, Trans-Pecos Texas", doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1994)106<1359:AACAVO>2.3.CO;2 Geological Society of America Bulletin November 1994 v. 106 no. 11 p. 1359-1376, accessed September 13, 2010
  2. ↑ "Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Information". Western Regional Climate Center. Retrieved April 1, 2013. 
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