Balmorhea State Park: fees and spring cleaning dates
Balmorhea State Park in far West Texas holds what Texas Parks and Wildlife bills as the world's largest spring-fed swimming pool, a 1.3-acre pool built around San Solomon Springs and fed by a constant flow that keeps it clear and cool year-round without chlorination. Day entry costs $7 per person, with no separate swim fee, but the pool closes for several days every spring for cleaning and day passes routinely sell out in summer. In our swimming holes in Texas guide it's the westernmost stop and, for most visitors, the longest drive.
No sourced coordinates are available yet for swimming holes — there is no government register for this category to map against (see methodology). Every spot is listed in the table below with directions in the text.
Fact box
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | Approximate, 30.944°N, 103.785°W, Toyahvale, Reeves County |
| Access type | Official, Texas State Park; day entry required, no separate swim fee |
| Water source | San Solomon Springs, a group of artesian springs |
| Pool size | 1.3 acres, 3.5 million gallons (Texas Parks and Wildlife) |
| Depth | Up to 25 ft (Texas Parks and Wildlife), deep enough for scuba diving and snorkeling |
| Entrance fee | $7 per person 13 and up, free for kids 12 and under; scuba divers pay a $5 dive fee on top of entry |
| Legal status | Official, Texas State Park, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department |
| Season | Open year-round; closes for several days each spring for cleaning |
Fees and reservations
Entry to Balmorhea State Park costs $7 per person 13 and up, with kids 12 and under admitted free, and that single fee covers both the grounds and the pool, no separate swim charge (Texas Parks and Wildlife, Balmorhea State Park entrance fees). Day passes often sell out in summer, so Texas Parks and Wildlife recommends booking a reservation ahead of a visit instead of counting on walking in.
Scuba divers pay an additional $5 dive fee and dive on the buddy system, with a minimum of two certified divers. Before going in, each diver shows a certification card or a current logbook and signs the park's diving agreement, which is done during office hours, so arriving late in the day can mean no dive (Texas Parks and Wildlife, swimming and scuba diving at Balmorhea). The park asks divers to reserve day passes in advance as well.
Spring cleaning closure
Balmorhea's pool closes for several days each spring so the park can drain and clean it, a routine maintenance closure. In 2026, that closure ran April 27 through May 1, with the pool reopening May 2 (Texas Parks and Wildlife, Balmorhea State Park). Dates for 2027's cleaning weren't posted as of this writing; check the park's alert page before planning a spring trip, since the closure typically falls in late April or early May.
The pool
San Solomon Springs feeds the pool with a constant flow that keeps the water in the 72 to 76°F range year-round and clear enough for the scuba diving and snorkeling that draw a different crowd than a typical swimming hole. Texas Parks and Wildlife puts the pool at 1.3 acres and 3.5 million gallons, with a depth of up to 25 feet (Texas Parks and Wildlife, news release of March 1, 2019). It's partly lined with concrete and partly natural limestone, a combination that makes Balmorhea unusual among Texas swimming spots: closer to a small lake in scale, but built and maintained as state park infrastructure.
Is Balmorhea a hot spring? No. Despite occasional confusion with the geothermal soaks in our hot springs in Texas guide, San Solomon Springs runs cool, and Texas Parks and Wildlife's own materials describe the pool's temperature in the mid-70s, not hot-spring range.
How this guide was researched
This page was compiled from Texas Parks and Wildlife's official fee, pool, scuba and alert pages for Balmorhea State Park and its March 2019 news release on the pool's reopening, the Texas Department of State Health Services and the CDC. We haven't visited this site ourselves. Fees, reservation requirements and the annual spring cleaning dates are set by the park and can change; verify current details before you go. Last checked September 2026.
FAQ
How much does it cost to visit Balmorhea State Park?
$7 per person 13 and up, free for kids 12 and under, with no separate swim fee. Scuba divers pay an additional $5 dive fee.
When does Balmorhea's pool close for cleaning?
Every spring, typically in late April or early May. In 2026, the closure ran April 27 through May 1. Check the park's alert page for future dates.
Do you need a reservation for Balmorhea?
Not strictly required, but Texas Parks and Wildlife recommends one, since day passes often sell out in summer.
Is Balmorhea a hot spring?
No. San Solomon Springs runs cool, keeping the pool in the 72 to 76°F range, not the warm-to-hot range of a geothermal spring.
How deep is the pool at Balmorhea?
Up to 25 feet, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife, deep enough for scuba diving and snorkeling, which is part of why it draws a different crowd than most Texas swimming holes.
We haven't visited these places ourselves, and every page says so rather than implying otherwise. Details are compiled from public land-manager, USGS and NOAA sources and cross-checked where possible; conditions, access rules and fees change without notice, so confirm with the managing agency before you go. Page last checked September 2026. Read our full methodology.