The biggest lil' ol' park in Texas! You can tell that this…read morepark has some history, and predates a lot of other parks in the Texas State Park system. It seems to have been grandfathered in, or inherited into the system. Back in the day, the thing to do was to come to this big hill that overlooks the city, and carve your name in the limestone rocks. Now, they don't exactly have signs that prohibit this, but I think it'd be frowned upon. However, they even have a PDF pamphlet that lets you see the best of the rock carvings. This park is kinda small, compared to the other parks in the system. It's got only a handful of trails and roads that go through. There's no overnight camping. When I went, the park HQ seemed to be semi-permanently closed, and there was no one at the entry gate. There were park trucks driving through the park. I hiked the nature trail, which was easy. It had informative signs that point out various points of interest in the nature, about what the natives did with certain plants, or what this little structure is. The path takes you up to the top of the hill, which overlooks the city of Big Spring, and miles and miles beyond. There are public restrooms here at the top.

My second visit in 15 years to this park was Thanksgiving last week. I enjoyed the overview and…read morewalk the first time and wanted to repeat it. This park is a nice leg stretcher when driving across Texas as so much land is privately owned. I made it here just before sunset. I wanted to walk the road before it got too dark and the park was officially closed. There isn't much else to do recreationally along the I-20 corridor through the Permian Basin oil fields, so this little free park is a godsend for long-distance travelers. I made it to the park with 30 minutes of daylight. Two other cars also arrived and its passengers jumped out to powerwalk the road. I did the same thing, albeit at a slower pace with my two geriatric dogs, one who had to go back to the car to rest. My other dog and I made it to the overlook, admired the many burning refineries and reveled in the sulphuric acid (made worse by the fog and rain). We had to go down via the Nature Trail to get back before it was too dark. On a clear spring day I imagine this is a great place to catch the flowers and take in the views, and I'm sure this is a perfect place for a moon walk under a full moon rise. This is a small park under the Texas Park Systems, but it's very well appreciated by people like me. I can't imagine what else people living in Big Springs can do for exercise and nature visits.

the sandhills are very cool. the sand is very soft and they are tall. shadows look neat. they have…read morea visitor center with limited hours.

YOU NEED TO GO HERE! Whether you make your whole road trip about coming to this awesome state park,…read moreor just make it part of another trip like we did, you have to come to Monahans Sandhills and rent a sand disc from the visitor center (or bring your own) to sled down the sand dunes with your friends or family. This was my daughter's #1 memory from our whole trip and we spent 3 days in Big Bend - but apparently sledding down the sand dunes beat out all the cool hikes and stuff we saw (she's still talking about it). Honestly, this was so affordable and could be hours and hours of fun, along with the beautiful desert views that you could enjoy on hikes. Probably not as fun in 100+ degree temps, but being there around the New Year was amazing. 10/10 place to stop and have a ton of fun!

These Lakes in this area ie. Allen Henry, JB Thomas are not state or federal camps or funded by…read morethem, they were done by the cities and counties of this area. People like to complain that with a pass you don't get access to other areas that they don't control is dumb, it's like saying I paid for a McDonald's gift card and not a single burger king accepts that payment. These areas they try very hard to keep clean and safe and although I may not agree with everything done with these places they try and I love them for it. During extended dry periods the lake all but disapears but it's great when the lake is up a few feet.

Great little stop for a passers-by camper or even vehicle sleeper. No gate. Self pay station and…read morethe camping spots overlooking the lake are only $7. Each spot has a roofed picnic table, and a ground fire pit and a trail down to the lake since the sites are on the hill. Had to trek up here because Lake Colorado City closes. Only rating for camping. Showers and restrooms are down by the boat ramp. They are pretty clean along with the restrooms. Showers are quarter machine operated for water conservation purposes. $0.50 for 3 minutes. I splurged an extra quarter for 4.5min and due to tough and dirty Army training, I ended up enjoying a high pressure extra 2 minutes of pure watery delight. So if you can combat shower, you'll be just fine with 2 quarters. :) Wrote the top portion upon arrival at night. Taking a star due to how darn dirty the place was. Trash EVERYWHERE even though the site had 2 large barrel trash cans :( Stupid, dirty people. Pics attached. Wear shoes and be careful using the trails down to the water due to so much glass.

The state Park staff was very helpful, for such a rugged area of Texas that is mostly desert. This…read morereservoir is really nice. The price is great and it is nice and quiet and well kept.

10.2024 !! Tranquil Family Getaway at Lake Colorado State Park !!…read moreLake Colorado State Park is absolutely gorgeous with its stunning landscapes and abundant nature. The campsites are nice and spacious, providing plenty of room for relaxation and family activities. The hiking and biking trails are excellent, offering a great way to explore the beautiful surroundings. Our family had a very relaxing time, enjoying the tranquility and natural beauty of the park. Highly recommend for anyone looking to unwind and connect with nature.

Let's face it, this world runs on petroleum and this is one of the vast epicenters of the industry…read more The short of it, is Odessa is a working man's oil town. I worked in the oil industry in Houston early in my career. I thought I'd seen a lot but my trip down the freeway in Odessa one morning blew my mind. It lays out in plain site the incredible number and variety of businesses it requires to produce oil. One after the other,on both sides of the road for miles are support businesses. One goal,to produce oil. Heavy equipment,,specialized compressors, chemical Containers, Monstrous pumps, trucks....each its own business displaying vast inventory and selection to satisfy the needs of the oil industry. We all take for granted jumping in our cars, turning the key, and heading out. I wish everyone could see what I saw. It makes it all a little more real. I actually appreciate the privilege of what benefits are delivered to society by the oil field industry more, after seeing Odessa Texas.

If I could leave 0 stars I would. I had high hopes for Odessa, but unfortunately, my experience was…read moredisappointing. Odessa is honestly a dump. There's trash all over the place and it feels like nobody cares about the town. The food is terrible--every place I tried had bland, gross food. Not a single decent restaurant in sight. It's boring and there's nothing to do. It's a miserable, unwelcoming place. Don't bother coming here unless you have no other choice.

The Lovington Highway Health Walk is a public trail in north Hobbs, NM…read more It runs parallel to the railroad tracks, crossing over them in some areas. The entire length which begins relatively close to the Rockwind Community Links golf course to the end which is at the intersection of Lovington Hwy and Bender Blvd comes out to 7.15 miles. Features include a wide, cement path good for walking, running, roller blading, biking, scootering, and more. There are a few benches scattered. Several dog waste bag bins with the small black plastic bags stocked. Please clean up after your dog. Larger trash cans. Shade trees. Other landscaping to compliment the natural desert terrain in Lea County. Grassy areas. I was disappointed that the water fountain was not in working order. I am always prepared with water for my dog, but I was curious to see if it was available. It was not on 3/17/2023. Just be careful because some people don't give pedestrians the right-of-way like they're supposed to. This town is not yet a pedestrian or bicycle-friendly community. There are parking lots in various areas near the NMJC. Enjoy!