Monahans, Texas
Not too far southwest of Midland, Texas, this slice of Texas is created courtesy of the Rocky Mountains. Erosion from the mountain ranges travels down into the Pecos River and then is picked up by the wind and deposited at this state park. Some of the dunes can be 70 feet high, but I did not adventure so far as to find that. This park is located right off of Interstate 20 and it isn’t more than a few minutes to get from the entrance station to the picnic areas and campgrounds. When I stopped to check in, I spent some time talking to the ranger working and learned about some cool things to do in the area such as other state parks or off-the-beaten-path hikes. If you’re ever in need of inspiration, park workers should be your go-to guys.
As a state park, it isn’t super large. Of the 70 acres of sand dunes in this area, only 6 acres are inside the park. There are no marked trails because of the ever-changing landscape, so you're welcome to explore wherever. But, once you’ve tried walking back up a sand dune you won’t really want to explore the entire thing. It is December, but the high was in the mid-50s and the low was in the mid-20s. I ended up in a tank top once I got to walking around the dunes. There is no shade here, so at least bring a water bottle per person. I’d definitely plan on it being 10 degrees warmer once you get in and start walking, so dress accordingly The biggest reason to make it out to this park is to go sand sledding or sand boarding. Discs are available at the visitors center for $6, and I would highly recommend this activity for all ages. There are a lot of different dunes to try out, so there is a dune to sled down for even the least adventurous member of your family. As long as you’re fine with getting a little sand in every crack and crevice, this is a great day trip. There are plenty of picnic areas so if you’re passing through, I’d recommend stopping for lunch and a little fun. There is also a volleyball net set up at the first picnic area if you need a break from sleeping. Make sure to BYOB. (bring your own ball) Don’t worry, there are areas to rinse the sand off before you hit the road again.
Sand Sledding!
If you’re looking to stay overnight, the campgrounds are fairly basic. There are picnic tables at each site, most of which seemed to be covered, and grills. RV sites were paved and most seemed to be pull-through. I believe all the sites had water and electric hookups as well. The restrooms aren’t anything to brag about, but there’s heat, light, and running water and that is all you really need. They were out-dated and at least one of the toilets was installed high enough that my feet were dangling. There are shower stalls with curtains and a bench, as well. There is only one facility, but I didn’t feel that any of the sites were so far away that it would be a problem. Another thing to note is that this is located in West Texas, so you will get whiffs of oil or it may just smell like that for a little while. If you’re super sensitive to scents, this may be an area best left as a day trip. Also, the park is located right next to an active train track. I think three trains passed by before I went to sleep, but none woke me up if any came by. While out on the sand dunes, I had pretty good reception. It was very easy to message and look things up on the internet. Once I got back to camp, it was LTE and I was only really able to send text messages and wait a while for things to load. The last thing I would mention is that just because the weather says it won’t be windy, doesn’t mean a random gust won’t come by. We had a very clear day with minimal wind and only a light breeze that picked up in the evening. When the sun went down, it stayed pretty calm. After 11:00 pm though? A nice strong and long-lasting wind picked up and was strong enough to rip my tent stakes off the ground and blow my Tailgate shelter around. While I had managed to stay snug as a bug in a rug inside of my car, I had to get out in the 30-degree weather to tie my shelter down to prevent it from blowing around again. So if you have guy wires, use them and if it can be blown away, tie it down or pack it up. All in all, a great stop and something I would highly recommend for families of all ages.
Entrance Fee: $4
Campsite with Electricity: $15/night + Daily Entrance Fee
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