Balmorhea State Park

Dive into cool waters of the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool that covers 1.75 acres and stays at 76-78 degrees year-round. Scuba divers love the clarity even at a 25-foot depth. Canals lead to a restored wetland, where a window built below ground provides a fish-eye view of the underwater world.

For more information on Balmorhea State Park

POB 15

Toyahvale, Texas 79786

P (432) 375-2370

Davis Mountains State Park

Soothing breezes weaving through the mountain passes greet you on the drive to Davis Mountains State Park in the heart of the Davis Mountains. Find the coolest place in a hot state when you camp in mountains one-mile high. Motor into a full hook-up site (some with cable TV), backpack to a high overlook or make camp under the trees. While you’re here, visit nearby Fort Davis National Historic Site and find time to attend a “star party” at the McDonald Observatory, where you can see the stars as you never have before through giant telescopes.

For more information on Davis Mountains State Park

POB 1707

Fort Davis, Texas 79734

P (432) 426-3337

McDonald Observatory

McDonald Observatory is located in the Davis Mountains, 450 miles west of Austin, Texas.

The Observatory is equipped with a wide range of state-of-the-art instrumentation for imaging and spectroscopy in the optical and infrared, and operates one of the first and most productive lunar ranging stations.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

The park is open year-round. Visitor Center hours are 8 am to 4:30 pm, slightly longer in summer. Headquarters Visitor Center is closed on Christmas Day. McKittrick Canyon is a day-use area; the gate at the highway is open from 8 am to 4:30 pm; open until 6 pm during daylight savings time.