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Balmorhea State Park, TX

Balmorhea State Park, Texas

Balmorhea State Park, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the early 1930s, is located on 45.9 acres in the foothills of the Davis Mountains in Southwest Texas.

The 77,053 square foot San Solomon Spring is the focal point of Balmorhea State Park. From 22 to 28 million gallons of water flow through the spring-fed swimming pool each day. San Solomon Springs has provided water for travelers for thousands of years. Artifacts indicate Indians used the spring extensively before white men came to the area. In 1849, the springs were called Mescalero Springs for the Mescalero Apache Indians who watered their horses along its banks. The present name was given by the first settlers, Mexican farmers who used the water for their crops and hand-dug the first irrigation canals.

Other CCC structures in the park include a limestone concession building, two wooden bathhouses, an adobe superintendent residence, and San Solomon Courts, an early expression of the modern-day motel, constructed of adobe bricks. All of the CCC buildings are constructed in a Spanish Colonial style with stucco exteriors and tile roofs.

Visitors to Balmorhea State Park can enjoy a swim in the CCC-constructed pool and, if staying overnight, may choose to relax in one of the historic rooms at San Solomon Courts. The lobby of the park office includes several photographs of the CCC at work in what is now Balmorhea State Park. When visiting the park, take time to see what the park property looked like in the late 1930s and what it looks like today. Balmorhea State Park is a substantial monument to the construction skills and hard work of the CCC crew and their supervisors.

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Balmorhea State Park Camping

Balmorhea State Park Camping
Visitors at Balmorhea State Park can enjoy swimming, picnicking, and camping. An honor box is located at the park entrance for those arriving after hours.

Facilities include restrooms with showers; campsites with a shade shelter and water; campsites with a shade shelter, water, and electricity; pull-through campsites with water, electricity, and cable TV hookups; campsites without a shade shelter, with water and electricity.

Visitors to Balmorhea State Park can enjoy a swim in the CCC-constructed pool and, if staying overnight, may choose to relax in one of the historic rooms at San Solomon Courts. The pool differs from most public pools in several respects: the 1 3/4-acre size, the 25-foot depth and the 72 to 76 degree constant temperature. It also has a variety of aquatic life in its clear waters. With a capacity of more than 3 1/2 million gallons, the pool has plenty of room for swimmers, while offering a unique setting for scuba and skin diving. Scuba divers must meet safety regulations.

Balmorhea State Park Cabins

Balmorhea State Park San Solomon Courts
Balmorhea State Park San Solomon CourtsVisitors to Balmorhea State Park can enjoy a swim in the CCC-constructed pool and, if staying overnight, may choose to relax in one of the historic rooms at San Solomon Courts. San Solomon Courts are an early expression of the modern-day motel, constructed by the CCC of adobe bricks in a Spanish Colonial style with stucco exterior and tile roof.

San Solomon Springs Courts has rooms with and without kitchens, a dining hall/meeting room. All of the rooms at San Solomon Courts are now designated as non smoking with the chemically-free San Solomon Springs pool. A bathhouse, a playground, a concession building (open during the summer months, an outdoor sports area, and picnic sites are all located nearby.

Balmorhea State Park Scuba Diving

Balmorhea State Park Scuba Diving
Balmorhea State Park Scuba DivingSan Solomon Springs at Balmorhea State Park fill a 'cienega' (desert wetland) and the canals of a refugium are home to endangered species of fish, assorted invertebrates, and turtles. The pool differs from most public pools in several respects: the 1 3/4-acre size, the 25-foot depth and the 72 to 76 degree constant temperature. It also has a variety of aquatic life in its clear waters. With a capacity of more than 3 1/2 million gallons, the pool has plenty of room for swimmers, while offering a unique setting for scuba and skin diving.

Visitors can enjoy swimming, picnicking, and camping. An honor box is located at the park entrance for those arriving after hours. Scuba divers must meet safety regulations.