Balmorhea State Park

Balmorhea State Park sits in Toyahvale, Reeves County, 4 miles southwest of the town of Balmorhea in far West Texas, about 6 hours from San Antonio. It’s built around a 1.3-acre spring-fed pool that stays 72 to 76 degrees all year, with fish and turtles to snorkel with. Day use is capped and often sells out, so reserve a day pass before driving out.

On This Page

• Swimming in the Spring-Fed Pool
• Day Passes and Pool Tickets
• Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
• San Solomon Ciénega and Wildlife
• Camping
• San Solomon Springs Courts Motel
• Best Time to Visit
• What Visitors Say
• Getting There
• Know Before You Go
• Nearby Parks
• FAQ
• Sources and Official Links

Swimming in the Spring-Fed Pool

The pool is the reason almost everyone comes to Balmorhea State Park. San Solomon Springs pushes more than 15 million gallons of water a day through it, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD), and TPWD calls it one of the largest spring-fed pools in the world. Swimming is included in the entry fee, and there are no lifeguards.

• Size: 1.3 acres and about 3.5 million gallons, 3 to 25 feet deep
• Water: 72 to 76 degrees year-round. Visitors report seeing the bottom of the 25-foot section
• Fish and turtles: small fish, catfish and soft-shell turtles live in the pool. Small fish nibble at feet near the steps
• Diving boards: visitors describe a low board and a high dive. TPWD kept the historic diving board in the 2018 to 2019 repair
• Footing: the steps and floor are slick with algae, and the deep-end ladder has only three steps. Water shoes help

Pool Rules

TPWD posts these rules for the pool area.

• Swimmers younger than 15 need a parent, guardian or responsible adult over 17 with them at all times
• Floats must be soft-sided inflatables no bigger than 8 by 4 feet. No paddles, oars or motorized devices
• Food is allowed; glass, grills, cooking, pets and tents are not. Shade canopies are fine
• Don’t feed or catch the fish and turtles, and leave nets and fishing gear at home
• No swimming in the canals or the wetlands

Pool History and Recent Closures

The Civilian Conservation Corps built the pool in the 1930s. A collapse under the diving board in 2018, then park-wide repairs, kept the pool closed off and on until June 2021; the campground and motel reopened in 2024, according to news reports. The pool now closes for about a week each spring for cleaning (April 27 to May 1 in 2026).

Day Passes and Pool Tickets

A day pass is the ticket to the pool at Balmorhea State Park, and buying one ahead is the only way to guarantee entry. The reservation site caps day use at 650 people a day, and once the park is full there are no walk-ins.

• Two entry times: the Day Entrance starts at 8 a.m. and the Evening Entrance at 3 p.m. Early entry isn’t allowed, and TPWD says visitors can stay until closing once inside
• Booking window: day passes open 1 month ahead. TPWD says summer, weekends, school breaks and holidays often sell out
• How far ahead: visitors recommend booking summer weekends 2 to 3 weeks out, and spring break and holidays earlier
• At the park: passes are sold at headquarters only if the park hasn’t reached capacity
• Wristbands: every visitor stops at headquarters for a pool wristband, and adults must wear one
• Parking: use the pool lot first, then the county road beside the park and its side gate. Parking on the highway gets ticketed
• Transfers: passes are good only for the chosen time slot

Day passes are sold on the Texas State Parks reservation site or by phone at (512) 389-8900.

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving

Snorkeling is the best way to see Balmorhea State Park’s pool, and it needs no extra fee. Scuba diving is allowed for certified divers for $5 on top of park entry, and the pool is a regular spot for open-water certification dives.

Snorkeling

• Goggles or a snorkel mask is the most repeated tip in reviews: the fish and turtles are the real show
• The park store sells snorkel and swim masks
• Divers say a wetsuit helps on long sessions, even in 72-degree water

Scuba Rules

TPWD sets these rules for divers.

• Show a certification card or current log book and sign the Diving Agreement at headquarters during office hours
• Dive with at least one other certified diver. Visitors report the buddy rule is enforced
• Reserve a day pass to guarantee entry; the $5 dive fee can be paid at check-in
• All divers and gear must be out of the pool area before the gate locks at 7:30 p.m. or sunset. TPWD lists no night diving
• No spear guns, knives or surface air pumps, and no air compressors from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Instructors need liability insurance on file

San Solomon Ciénega and Wildlife

Building the pool in the 1930s destroyed the natural ciénega, a desert spring wetland. TPWD and its partners have since built two new ones at Balmorhea State Park, the San Solomon and Hubbs ciénegas, fed by the same spring water. An observation deck and short interpretive paths let visitors look in without disturbing anything.

Endangered Fish

The ciénegas and canals hold two endangered fish, the Comanche Springs pupfish and the Pecos gambusia, plus a pure strain of headwater catfish. Swimming, wading and fishing aren’t allowed in the canals or wetlands.

• Wildlife TPWD lists: white-tailed deer, javelina, ground squirrels, turtles, lizards and dragonflies
• Birds: songbirds in summer and waterfowl in winter. Visitors report hooded mergansers on the pool, plus herons, kingfishers and owls
• Trails: TPWD publishes no named hiking trails here. A 2020 land purchase grew the park to 751 acres, but TPWD said then that access to the new land would take time, and none had been announced by October 2026
• Night sky: the park is dark, and the McDonald Observatory is about an hour away

Camping

Campsites at Balmorhea State Park have water and electric hookups, and the campground reopened in 2024 after a long renovation with paved, level pads and a modern bathhouse with hot showers. There’s little shade between the shelters, and spring wind can be strong.

Campsite Types

TPWD lists 34 sites. Prices are per night, plus the daily entry fee.

• Back-in electric (12 sites, $20): 20/30 amp only, 8 people per site. The reservation site lists pads of 35 to 47 feet
• Tent-only electric (6 sites, $20): sites 12 to 17, with 20/30 amp
• Pull-through electric (15 sites, $30): 20/30/50 amp, pads of 50 to 95 feet, no tents. Most have a shelter over the picnic table
• Group site (1 site, $35): site 20, up to 16 people and four vehicles. Book by phone at (512) 389-8920

Every site has a picnic table, grill, fire ring and water hookup. There are no sewer hookups; a dump station is on the park map. The reservation site shows only 28 bookable sites, so call the park about the rest.

Reservations and Camp Rules

Book ahead: the campground fills on spring break, summer and holiday weekends.

• Campsites and motel rooms open 5 months ahead; the group site 12 months ahead
• Check-in is 2 p.m. and check-out is noon. Online overnight bookings close at 4:30 p.m. each day
• Late arrivals get the gate code in their confirmation email and register by 9 a.m. the next morning
• Two vehicles per site; extra vehicles cost $6 a day and park in the lot at the campground entrance
• Fires only in the fire rings, and no gathering firewood

RVers say back-in sites are tight for a truck and trailer, so big rigs do better on a pull-through. Summer flies and bats under some shelters are the other common complaints.

San Solomon Springs Courts Motel

San Solomon Springs Courts is the park’s own motel, a set of rooms built by the Civilian Conservation Corps a short walk from the pool, along the spring-water canal. It reopened in 2024 after renovation and has 12 rooms. There are no cabins at Balmorhea State Park.

• Queen Room (1 room, $125): 2 people
• One-Bed Suite (5 rooms, $135): 2 people
• Two-Bed Suite (4 rooms, $155): 4 people
• Two-Bed Suite with Trundle (2 rooms, $175): 6 people

Rates are per night plus hotel tax. Rooms have a private bathroom, coffee bar, mini-fridge, microwave, TV and air conditioning; suites add a patio. TPWD’s motel page adds the daily entry fee, while the reservation site says motel guests don’t pay it, so confirm when booking.

• A $100 card deposit is taken at check-in and refunded after inspection
• No same-day bookings. Check-in is 2 p.m. and check-out is 11 a.m.
• Rooms are non-smoking with no pets, and no cooking inside; grills are in the day-use area
• Guests arriving after 5 p.m. call ahead for a lockbox code

Guests describe the rooms as clean and newly remodeled but basic. The Group Hall is closed for renovations, according to TPWD.

Best Time to Visit

Weekdays in spring and fall are the best time to visit Balmorhea State Park, with easier day passes and room to swim. The pool is open all year at the same temperature, so even winter works.

• Spring (March to May): mild days and strong wind, especially in March. Spring break sells out, and the pool closes for about a week of cleaning in late April or early May
• Summer (June to August): the busiest season, from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Days are warm, nights are cool at 3,205 feet, and August is often the wettest month. Visitors report lightning closures
• Fall (September to November): quieter after Labor Day, with the water still in the 70s
• Winter (December to February): the quietest months. The pool stays open, though the park map lists shorter winter pool hours, and the air is cold getting out

What Visitors Say

Balmorhea State Park averages 4.7 stars across about 1,000 Google reviews from December 2024 to October 2026, and 4.6 lifetime from about 3,250. The water wins almost everyone over; most complaints are about getting in.

• Clear water: the most common praise, along with swimming among fish and turtles
• Reservations: the top complaint, in about 58 reviews. About a dozen visitors were turned away at the gate after long drives without a pass
• Crowds: winter and spring weekdays can be nearly empty. Summer weekends and holidays are packed
• Slick steps: algae on the steps and floor caused several falls
• Bathrooms: mostly praised, especially the campground bathhouse, with uneven upkeep on busy weekends
• Food: the park store sells mostly souvenirs and sunscreen, and Balmorhea has only a small grocery. Pack meals
• Staff: rangers get praise for friendly check-ins; the phone line and website frustrate some

Getting There

Balmorhea State Park is at 9207 State Highway 17 in Toyahvale, just south of Interstate 10. From I-10 westbound, take exit 206 to Balmorhea, follow FM 2903 south into town, then take SH 17 west 4 miles. From I-10 eastbound, take exit 192 and follow Ranch Road 3078 east about 12 miles.

Drive times to the park:

• Odessa: about 2 hours
• Midland: about 2 hours 25 minutes
• El Paso: about 3 hours 15 minutes
• San Antonio: about 6 hours
• Austin: about 6 hours 45 minutes
• Dallas: about 8 hours 10 minutes
• Houston: about 9 hours 25 minutes
• Fort Davis: about 40 minutes; Marfa: about 1 hour 10 minutes

A few things to know before driving out:

• Food and fuel: Balmorhea is small, and visitors put the nearest full grocery about 50 minutes away
• Gate: the gate closes at 7:30 p.m. or sunset. Overnight guests use the gate code in their confirmation

Know Before You Go

Balmorhea State Park is small and easy to get around, but entry takes planning. These fees, rules and tips matter most.

• Fees and passes: $7 a day for adults 13 and older; children 12 and under get in free, and swimming is included. The Texas State Parks Pass ($70 a year) covers entry. Confirm current fees on the TPWD fees page
• Booking: day passes open 1 month ahead and often sell out on summer days, weekends and holidays; campsites and motel rooms open 5 months ahead
• Hours: the park and pool are open 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. or sunset, whichever comes first. The May 2026 park map lists November to February pool hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Headquarters is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Restrooms: pool restrooms lock at 7 p.m., and there are no lockers
• Alcohol and glass: no public drinking anywhere in the park, and no glass in the pool area
• Fires: only in campsite fire rings. Burn bans happen in drought; one ran from December 2024 into summer 2025
• Pets: leashed (6 feet or shorter) and never left alone; not in the pool area, canals, motel rooms or buildings. A reservation-site notice from October 2026 asks owners to check pets for screwworm and report wounded wildlife to staff
• What to bring: a reserved day pass, water shoes, goggles or a snorkel, floats for children and weak swimmers, a shade canopy, sunscreen and all food

Nearby Parks

Five other TrekTexas guides cover parks within a long day’s drive of Balmorhea State Park.

• Davis Mountains State Park: about 34 miles southwest, with Indian Lodge and mountain camping near Fort Davis
• Monahans Sandhills State Park: about 86 miles northeast, known for its sand dunes
• Guadalupe Mountains National Park: about 137 miles northwest, home to Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas
• Big Bend National Park: about 155 miles south to Panther Junction
• Big Bend Ranch State Park: about 164 miles south, near Lajitas
• More West Texas parks: Parks Near El Paso

FAQ

What happened at Balmorhea State Park?

A section under the pool’s diving board collapsed in May 2018, and repairs and upgrades kept the pool or the whole park closed off and on until 2021. The pool reopened in June 2021, and the campground and motel followed in 2024.

Is Balmorhea State Park worth the drive?

For the pool, most visitors say yes. There is little else to do in the park, so many pair a swim with Fort Davis, the McDonald Observatory or Big Bend.

Are there cabins at Balmorhea State Park?

No. The park has 12 motel rooms at San Solomon Springs Courts plus electric campsites.

Can visitors fish at Balmorhea State Park?

No. TPWD bans fishing everywhere in the park, and fishing gear and nets aren’t allowed at the pool.

Is the Balmorhea pool open in winter?

Yes. The pool is open year-round at 72 to 76 degrees, closing only for its yearly spring cleaning, repairs and storms.

Sources and Official Links

Facts in this guide were last checked in October 2026 against these sources.

• Balmorhea State Park (TPWD)
• Entrance fees (TPWD)
• Swimming and scuba diving and park FAQs (TPWD)
• Campsites and motel rooms (TPWD)
• Nature and park map (PDF) (TPWD)
• Park alerts (TPWD)
• Texas State Parks reservations
• San Solomon Springs flow gauge (USGS)

Featured photo: Lars Plougmann, Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0), April 2013