Monahans Sandhills State Park was a State Park that I had wanted to visit for years. I first read about it in a magazine that revolved around travel within the great state of Texas when The Manling was a wee little tyke. I remember sharing what I’d read one night as the family ate dinner at an On the Border with my sister and niece, and from the first mention of sand boarding, the entire table was excitedly planning a family vacation to Odessa, Texas, to experience the awesomeness firsthand.
Life got busy.
Years passed.
My sister and niece moved.
Nary a thought was given to those sandhills at MSSP until our Tour of Texas Waterholes, which couldn’t be complete without including the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool, happily situated in Balmorhea State Park, an easy hour or so drive from Monahans Sandhills State Park! Sand surfing was back on the menu!
Fast-forward back to our visit in mid-July 2018. With our recent heat-related incidences first at Franklin Mountains State Park and again at Wyler Aerial Tramway still fresh in the rear-view mirror, we opted to spend the cooler golden hours at MSSP on our return visit. The Man had reproduced some pretty stellar pics of an epic Star Wars shot involving two moons years ago at MSSP and The Manling was eager to attempt the same this time ’round. We trekked and explored the dunes searching for just the right angles and exposures and silhouettes until the sun {literally} didn’t shine no more.
We ended the day standing atop a dune, silently admiring the awesome beauty that is painted across the stretched canvas of the enormous West Texas sky.
Why We Love Monahans Sandhills State Park
- Sand surfing. This State Park knows the recipe for making lemonade out of lemons because what else are you going to do to pass the time on a bunch of sand in the middle of nowhere except sand surf?! This is legit fun.
- Dunes. Deserts in Texas are flat. You can see for miles and miles. At Monahans Sandhills, you get the feeling of being transported to a more exotic desert, like the kind you’d see in movies. They’re pretty cool that way.
- Sunset. Best sunsets. Great photo ops.
Must Do’s
- Sand surfing. Seriously. Rent one and go play. This is where it’s at.
- Sunscreen. Trust me.
- Sunset. Spend the golden hours in the evening there. Take a picnic and just sit and enjoy a nice, slow sunset with spectacular color rivaling Joseph’s technicolor dream coat.
- Play. There is a circle drive at the end of the park road that we saw some grown men enjoying with their heavy-duty remote control cars. It was cool to watch, so I imagine it would be even more fun to do.
- Camp. Spot #10 is the bomb with your own private dune right behind your campsite!
We’d love to hear about your experiences at Monahans Sandhills State Park! Please share your experiences at this sandy State Park in the comments.
*In all natural areas, you are a guest. Educate yourself on what lives in the areas before your visits, always talk to the Park Rangers upon arrival and take precautions so that your experiences end as positively as ours.