The Nature Conservancy outside of Fort Davis has public hike days once a month. Find that information on their website. The conservancy protects “an island in the sky” and Mt. Livermore.
There are many different ecologies and wildlife present in the area the conservancy protects, which is why it is important to be there on public days to learn about the project.
There is one public trail, however, very near the conservancy. It is very accessible as it originates at a picnic site off of 118 past the McDonald Observatory. The trail is called Madera Canyon Trail. It consists of a 2.4 mile loop, in which you hike to the overlook and look down into the canyon, or hike through the bottom and encounter a large pond. It’s situation in the Davis Mountains makes it a unique public trail different from those in the Davis Mountains State Park.
Not too difficult, and mostly shaded, this trail is enjoyable at any time of day, but if you wish to see wildlife, I would recoomend early morning or evening.
