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We left Tucson Saturday afternoon much later than we had hoped. We were delayed by an urgent repair to our RV (our fridge had stopped working). Since we knew we were heading into the middle of nowhere we had to get it fixed before leaving Tucson. Thankfully, Beaudry RV squeezed us in (without an appointment) and had us on our way a few hours later.

Overnight, we drycamped in Las Cruces, not far from the RV park where we stayed in Mesilla just a couple weeks earlier. The scenery along I-10 was mostly desert scrub but every once in a while we’d spot some deer or Pronghorn Antelope.

In the morning we made good time and arrived at Balmorhea State Park a day earlier than we anticipated. We were all set up and hooked up by dark, perfect. The first thing that struck us as amazing about the Park was the sky. We were in the middle of a wide open nowhere, there was nothing to disrupt our view of the stars overhead. The Milky Way stretched endlessly across the sky. All we could really say was wow! It is no surprise that one of the world’s leading astronomical research centers, McDonald Observatory, is located nearby. If you listen to public radio you’ve probably heard Star Date, one of the shows that the Observatory produces.

Later in our stay a fellow RVer (really amazing the people we have met and the stories they have to tell) relayed a Native American legend he’d heard about the stars. When the world was first created the sun shone all the time, night and day. The people, the animals and the plants asked Father Sun if he couldn’t turn off for a while every day so they could get some rest. Father Sun refused.

Raven heard their plea and decided to help. He stole the largest blanket he could find and he flew straight toward the sun. As he flew over the sun he let go of the blanket and then it was night. The stars that we see are rays from Father Sun peeking through the threads of the blanket. An early explanation of natural phenomenon and a wonderful story.

Since we are going to be in Texas for a while, I should give you the basics on it. The name Texas evolved from a Native American word which means “those who are friends.” Texas is the second largest state (after Alaska), has the second highest population (after California), its highest point is Guadalupe Peak at 8,749, its lowest is sea level along the Gulf Coast, its capital is Austin, and its largest city is Houston.

Texas is the birthplace of: Lance Armstrong, Gene Autrey, Clyde Barrow (of Bonnie and Clyde infamy), Edie Brickell, Carol Burnett, Christopher Cross, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Danny Elfman, the Gatlin Brothers, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, Nanci Griffith, Woody Harrelson, Don Henley, Buddy Holly, Howard Hughes, Tommy Lee Jones, Janis Joplin, Kris Kristofferson, Lyle Lovett, Steve Martin, Steve Miller, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Parker (the other half of Clyde), Ross Perot, Randy and Dennis Quaid, Kenny Rogers, Nolan Ryan, Sissy Spacek, Aaron Spelling, George Strait, Patrick Swayze, Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughn and Renee Zellweger to name a few (see the full list)!

Texas is so immense that it is divided into seven regions; Panhandle Plains, Prairies and Lakes, Piney Woods, Gulf Coast, South Texas Plains, Hill Country and Big Bend Country where Balmorhea is located. Big Bend Country owes it’s name to a large curve in the Rio Grande River and Texas’ first National Park, Big Bend. Big Bend National Park is larger than the entire state of Rhode Island!

Balmorhea State Park is minuscule in comparison but it has one very important feature in the Chihuahuan Desert, water, and lots of it. The focus of the Park is San Solomon Spring. The spring has provided life-sustaining water for thousands of years. Archaeological studies show encampments and agriculture that precede the arrival of the Spanish. Later, Mexican settlers called the area home and enlarged the preexisting canal system to irrigate more land. The water that gushes up from underground at almost a million gallons an hour still sustains life in the area.

Strangely, Balmorhea State Park is not in the town of Balmorhea but four miles to the west in the town of Toyahvale. Town is a generous word for both these communities. Toyahvale is a cluster of houses made of rock and a Post Office that is open for two hours on weekdays. It isn’t clear how or why but the Park took the name of the further town, Balmorhea. Balmorhea was laid out in 1906 by three land promoters, Balcome (Balcum), Moore (Morrow) and Rhea who combined their names to name the community. The town straddles Toyah (Native American word for flowing water) Creek but the main reason for the settlement was the fresh springwater.

The nice facilities at the Park owe their existence to the CCC in the 1930s. A CCC camp was established near the mouth of the springs and they constructed an 18 room motor inn (car travel was becoming quite popular), canals and the highlight, the 77,053 square foot pool. The pool, created in 1938, is one of the largest man-made pools in the country and is mostly natural. Meaning that although the edges of the pool are concrete the bottom is natural with rocks, water plants, fish, turtles and of course, the spring.

I know that sounds kind of yucky, who’d want to swim in that? But since the spring is fast flowing, at close to 24 million gallons a day, the pool and canals are sparkling! The water circulates through the pool and then flows down a canal that supplies the restored wetlands on the grounds before continuing all the way to the town of Balmorhea.

Balmorhea SP was recommended to us by RVer friends otherwise we never would have stopped here. It is in the middle of nowhere, off I-10 and since it’s opening in 1968 has been Texas’ least visited State Park. That’s a shame, it’s a gem. Of course, it worked out well for us since we practically had the place to ourselves. In case you get tired of the warm pool (the water averages 73 degrees year-round), there is a playground and a reconstructed wetlands to check out.

The wetlands are small but wonderful. We checked on the inhabitants several times a day and there was always something new to see; Red-tailed Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, American Coot, Green Heron, Virginia Rail, Red-winged Blackbird. We heard coyotes every night. Even the canals were interesting with their swarms of fish. The biggest were the Headwater Catfish, and the Green Sunfish, the smallest were two endangered fish, the Commanche Springs Pupfish and the Pecos Mosquito Fish. Mexican Tetras, who also live here, are related to Piranha and are voracious eaters. Thankfully they are tiny and pose no threat. The canals are off limits as they serve as a refuge for the rare fish.

The weather during our stay ran the gamut from sunny and warm to windy and cold and even one morning; snow! It was just enough to cover the ground and it was pretty even if a bit cold. Just as you might expect it melted by noon. We had a few new arrivals at the wetlands that day, Green-winged Teals, they were skittish but stayed anyway. I bet they were cold and tired and the wetlands were a good place to stop and rest. Five days later we were back on I-10 heading east, next stop Galveston Island, Texas.

Photos View photos from our time in Balmorhea State Park.

Dates: We visited Balmorhea State Park, Texas, from 11/26/06 to 12/01/06.