A Different Kind of Place, a Different Kind of Day

We came just 33 miles to Balmorhea (ball more ray) State Park. They have a brand new campground, but they don’t have mountains. As we drove here and descended 2,000 feet the temperature increased about seven degrees, from 70 to 77. To the east we had blue sky,

but to the south and west we had a stormy sky and soon the temperature dropped nine degrees. We’ve had a divided sky all day, so the weather you see depends on the direction I’m facing.

We drove to town for fuel and the wind was whipping and the dust was blowing.

Fortunately, the heart of this small park is the San Solomon Spring. So we have wind, but no dust.

Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed inside the fenced spring area, so this is as close as I’ve gotten so far, as I was walking with Matey.

There’s a huge swimming area and there are supposed to be fish and turtles there, so tomorrow I will have to explore without Matey.

Water flows from here through miles of canals.

There is quite a current.

Evidently the new campground is popular. Of course we had reservations.

The spring has been a popular place for millennia, as is any reliable source of water in such dry land.

Governor Pat Neff made it a state park and the CCC constructed the pool and built this motor court from 1935 to 1940.

Originally each room had a carport,

in the 1970’s the carports were enclosed and used to enlarge the rooms and add bathrooms.

There are two cienagas, or swamps. They were constructed because some native fishes were struggling to survive in the fast flowing canals that were made for irrigation.

Matey and I went up to the viewing area on this one.

They even have underwater ports, but I couldn’t see through them.

This is a beautiful new campground and an interesting place. I’m happy to see it but our two night stay will be plenty for me as it has no trails.