Out on the frontier removed from the frustrations of civilization sits Balmorhea an artesian gem…read morehiding among the tumbleweeds. The springs themselves are astonishing. Crystalline water, a natural oasis. Wilderness as a touch of elegance. The water is cool, refreshing, and large enough you can swim without bumping into a flotilla of inflatable flamingos every ten seconds. It is serene. Now, the true pièce de résistance: tiny fish. Yes darling, little cousins of piranhas nibbling delicately at your skin. At first, it's mildly horrifying. Being lightly snacked upon by aquatic creatures isn't typically on the itinerary. It's nature's exfoliation service. Truly. These miniature aestheticians gather around and provide the most delightful, ticklish skin treatment imaginable. Think of it as a rustic version of spa fish pedicures, except this one is completely natural, wildly entertaining, and performed by creatures that actually live in the ecosystem instead of a questionable salon tank. The entire place has this fascinating ecological charm that sneaks up on you. You're floating in a massive spring-fed pool, mountains in the distance, dragonflies skimming the water, and tiny fish politely tend to your skincare needs. The magic of Balmorhea (I'll let you figure out how to pronounce it correctly) is that it's a living ecosystem, and being able to swim in the middle of it is special. It's frontier chic. Don't expect marble spas and cucumber water. Following an afternoon, my skin felt absurdly smooth, stress level plummeted, and it was imperative to recommend the remote desert destination without qualification. Five stars for the fish running the spa.

Fun time at this park…read more Enroute from San Antonio to El Paso, we were able to stop at this park to get the kids out of the car and into some refreshing spring water It was clean, not crowded and left us already planning a return on our next trip back or towards Big Bend National. There are cabins on the ground, picnic tables, barbecue pits. I saw a basketball court. They had a few nature areas to enjoy. I was certainly pleased with just getting my feet wet, but the water is clear and if you were interested in seeing more below the water, I recommend goggles or snorkeling gear. I hear companies teach scuba here too. There's not much else near the park, so bring all the amenities you need or want there. Good times with nature. We will return.

Not much to it. A place to stay. Worked for us. A convenient place to stay while we explored the…read morearea.

Got in late but check in was really easy. Shower was steaming hot. Could have used a better…read morecleaning but regardless hot. Didn't mind the trains cruising thru at night. Added to the adventure but if you're a light sleeper, bring ear plugs.

I was looking forward to taking the family fishing. I called to make sure they were open and was…read moretold they don't do the fishing part anymore. They really need to update their website to reflect that.

So I spent part of the week here exploring and I really enjoyed my time here. It is the smaller…read moreNational Park in Texas on about 85,000 acres (compared to Big Bend National Park which is 800,000 acres) but still plenty to explore. This park is more for folks that really like to hike, explore and camp. There are a few entry points into the park but there really is no scenic routes through the park. You are expected to park somewhere and walk to your destination instead which I find very interesting to do (can see alot more too). I've visiting the frijole ranch that had a small museum inside explaining the history of the park. Attach to it there are a few trails you can take off to do. I did the smith springs and it was very pretty to see. Once you manage to get up the hill there were some seats and rails you can hang onto and relax while watching the spring. I also did the Guadalupe Mountain Peak trail, which is the highest peak in Texas. That one takes about 6 to 8 hours to hike (round trip) and it had amazing views. There was also a mark at the to there you can take a picture too which was cool. Definitely need to be prepped to do this or any of the hikes (water, food, first aid, hiking stick and good hiking boots). The Salt Basin Dunes were also really nice to explore but expect to do half a day here. That one you drive over dirt road to get to but very nice views of the mountain. It also had a place you can use the restroom and sit down to eat. The place is exactly what you expect...alot of sand hills you can climb but very soft and cooling (just watch your step). I didn't get to explore all the park since there was a government shut down and closed one of the trails I wanted to do but overall It was definitely worth the trip to visit. I plan to come back next year when it's not too hot (best time for fall colors and cool air for tough hikes). I would absolutely recommend anyone to at least check this park out at least once in your life. Make sure do your research and bring what you need.

My husband and I visited in December 2025 and decided to climb Guadalupe Peak. It was amazing…read more The trail was maintained. A search and rescue ranger was walking the trail to keep a count of the hikers, which made me feel safe. I was so stoked that we were able to summit. We went to the ranger station afterwards to buy souvenirs and share our achievements. The rangers just looked deadpan at us after sharing our news. It left me disheartened. They could have pretended to care about our little victory. Would have liked to hike Devils Hall, but we were beat after the peak.