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# McDonald Observatory — Fort Davis, Texas
- URL: https://www.rollingnichols.com/mcdonald-observatory-fort-davis-texas/
- Published: 2026-09-25T15:03:36.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-25T15:30:24.000Z
- Author: Phil Nichols
- Tags: Texas, Worth the Stop, #no-home

On our first trip to Fort Davis, we were traveling with my brother Fred and his wife, Jeanna, in our old Coachmen Leprechaun, [**Phyllis**](https://rollingnichols.com/phyllis-where-we-learned-to-rv/?ref=rollingnichols.com). One of the highlights was the drive up into the Davis Mountains to visit McDonald Observatory.

The observatory sits high in the mountains, with major facilities on Mount Locke and nearby Mount Fowlkes. Even before you get interested in the telescopes, the drive and the view are worth the trip. From the top, it feels like you can see forever across far West Texas.

What stuck with us almost as much as the observatory itself was how seriously this part of Texas protects the night sky. McDonald Observatory depends on exceptionally dark conditions for astronomical research, and outdoor lighting throughout the surrounding area is regulated to reduce light pollution. Jeff Davis County is one of seven counties surrounding the observatory with outdoor-lighting rules designed in part to protect those skies. 

You notice it down in Fort Davis. Street lighting is subdued, signs aren't blasting light into the sky, and nighttime simply looks darker than it does in most towns. The Observatory encourages shielded fixtures, warmer-colored light and only as much illumination as is actually needed. 

It reminded us somewhat of the Tucson area, where protecting the night sky is also part of living near major observatories. It's one of those things you may not think much about until you spend time somewhere that deliberately keeps the night dark.

And then there is the view from Mount Locke. On a clear day, West Texas seems to just keep going.

**This was an easy one to call Worth the Stop.**

[The McDonald Observatory![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fd/23/fd2306e5-5c40-45cc-8a69-e15a5f96c86f/content/images/icon/favicon-b3b25364-33cf-440b-844a-4da5495c9814.png)![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fd/23/fd2306e5-5c40-45cc-8a69-e15a5f96c86f/content/images/thumbnail/spinner-db21feb9-1ce2-402e-9ed7-7952c601abef.png)](https://mcdonaldobservatory.org/?ref=rollingnichols.com)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fd/23/fd2306e5-5c40-45cc-8a69-e15a5f96c86f/content/images/2026/09/P1010324.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fd/23/fd2306e5-5c40-45cc-8a69-e15a5f96c86f/content/images/2026/09/P1010323.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fd/23/fd2306e5-5c40-45cc-8a69-e15a5f96c86f/content/images/2026/09/P1010319.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fd/23/fd2306e5-5c40-45cc-8a69-e15a5f96c86f/content/images/2026/09/P1010317.jpeg)

The view from Mount Locke seems to go on forever — one of the things we remember most about our first trip to McDonald Observatory.