Friday, May 18, 2012

BALMORHEA STATE PARK

We had an uneventful day headed west out of San Angelo. This is the part of Texas that seems bleak and naked of diversion for the eye, and gives one a sense of caution against getting stuck here. Due to the price of oil, the oil business is booming here, so the main diversion was the oil rigs and oil rig workers along the road. I played road games with good old oil rig workers, checking out the only female for miles on the road in a little red car. Surprise, surprise.....just a grandma!  Luckily we only had a few hours along this road, and soon spotted the beautiful Davis Mountains along the edge of the horizon.

Our destination today is Balmorhea State Park on the edge of those mountains. 

History: The Original inhabitants of the area were the
Mascalero Apache Indians. The City of Balmorhea was
established in 1906 by three land promoters: Balcom,
Morrow, and Rhea. San Solomon Springs, located at
Balmorhea State Park, supplies 26 million gallons of water
per day to area farmers. The picturesque canal, which flows
through the middle of Balmorhea, carries water to 10,000
acres of farmland. Water is stored at Balmorhea Lake,a 600
acre reservoir, which is stocked with Bass, Catfish, and
Crappie. Balmorhea Lake and the surrounding area is also
excellent for bird watching. The most unique attraction is the
swimming pool at the Balmorhea State Park. The pool was
built by Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's. The
swimming pool is the "World's Largest Spring Fed Swimming
Pool". With and approximate depth of 28 feet and 74 degree
average temperature, one can enjoy a refreshing swim. The
crystal clear water also provides excellent scuba diving.

NOTE: This info courtesy of the Balmorhea City web site.
OUR CAMP


It is truly an oasis and the pool is awesome. As a kid, we visited family in the area (Oatmans), so I had fond memories, but was surprised to see the fish in the pool. They came over and nibbled on your feet. Not my style, but Michael was in fish heaven, swimming with the fishes.


 
Seeing 80 years of endurance in this CCC project
still making money for Texas and offering immense enjoyment to so many people is a testament to what is possible, when people think outside the box.

1 comment:

  1. LOVE sharing the journey with you...I've thought about you daily and wondered where you are and what you're seeing! This is an incredible journey, and you're getting to know family members and this part of the world better than those of us who live here and tend to take it all for granted. Thanks for giving us new eyes to appreciate it all...especially the incredible gift of family. Your Loving Cuz, Sybil

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