BALMORHEA STATE PARK

Modern life comes with its conveniences, but it’s also got its fair share of stress. Chances are your phone’s constantly buzzing with breaking news, work emails, traffic alerts and the like. And even if you only occasionally peek at your phone, the stress of so many alerts and updates may have left you feeling a bit burnt out. An escape from the mind-numbing hubbub of city living could probably do you some good.

The pool is up to 25 feet deep.

The pool is up to 25 feet deep.

BALMORHEA - A man died in Balmorhea State Park on Sunday in a suspected drowning incident.

Built by the The Civilian Conservation Corps back in the 1930s, the swimming pool at Balmorhea State Park is a much-beloved West Texas attraction. The treasured Texas swimming hole, the largest spring-fed pool in the worls,  is up to 25-feet deep, covers 1.3 acres, and holds 3.5 million gallons of water. It’s also home to numerous species of aquatic animals, including two small, endangered desert fishes- the Pecos gambusia and the Comanche Springs pupfish, according to the TPWD.

Beginning Saturday, the storied pool near the Far West Texas town of Balmorhea, within eyeshot of Interstate 10, is welcoming swimmers again.

By Big Bend SentinelTOYAHVALE — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is excited to announce that the spring-fed swimming pool and day-use area at Balmorhea State Park will reopen to the public on June 26. Light construction is still ongoing in the pool area, so the public is asked to remain vigilant. Day passes are now available for purchase on the Texas State Parks Online Reservations Center but are limited: tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/park-reservation-information/reservationsDay passes can be purchased up to 30 days in advance. Guests are strongly encouraged to purchase passes in advance online before driving to the park. Light construction is still ongoing in the pool area and the San Solomon Courts, campground, and cienegas remain closed to the visiting public.

If the idea of hitting a crowded neighborhood swimming pool has you uneasy this summer, consider taking a dip in one of Texas many spring-fed swimming holes. Its a luxury afforded to those of us lucky enough to live in Texas, which has more spring-fed swimming spots than any other state in the U.S. There are pools with concrete embankments, like at Barton Springs in Austin, Landa Park in New Braunfels, and San Pedro Springs Park in San Antonio. There are also natural bodies of water, like Jacobs Well and Hamilton Pool in Wimberley and Dripping Springs, respectively. This includes Balmorhea State Park and its iconic West Texas spring-fed swimming pool, which was crafted in the 1930s.

Balmorhea State Park, where a spring-fed swimming pool sparkles against a prickly desert backdrop, is set to expand to nearly seven times its current size. The popular West Texas park, where swimmers and scuba divers glide through clouds of fish, will add 643 acres to the existing 108 acres, Texas Parks and Wildlife officials announced this week. After leaving the pool, water from the springs empties into two man-made cienegas, or desert marshes, where visitors can observe wildlife. Balmorhea is such a unique park, said Stephanie Salinas-Garcia, a spokesperson for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Its a wonderful gateway into that West Texas landscape and shows the beauty of the area.