Cool off at this desert swimming hole.
Right off of I-10 in the middle of west Texas is the largest spring-fed pool in the world. Like many of the Texas State Park features, the pool was built by the CCC in the 1930s. It is filled by the clear waters of the San Solomon Springs. It's so clear that you can see people learning to scuba dive 25 ft down. Fair warning, it's also rather cold.
Here you can see my daughter sunning herself like a lizard. She spent more time like this than in the water. We happened to go on a breezy day that didn't breech 90 degrees until later in the afternoon. That seems to be the magical temperature at which children will comfortably swim in a spring-fed body of water. Not that they won't get in under any weather condition, but your idyllic day of relaxing while those never-ending bottles of energy empty themselves won't pan out. You'll have to share your inner tube.
Despite arriving on the one summer day that wasn't unbearably hot, there was plenty of fun to be had. The pool is ideal for an early snorkeling lesson...or just shoving your head in with googles. It is populated by little gambusia and pupfish, as well as some rare, pure genetic form of catfish. The latter look just like regular mutts to me. The child-approved highlight was the three diving boards, two low-dives and one high-dive.
While she's jumped off of higher cliffs, she found walking the plank on the high dive a little unnerving. She kept at it, anyway.
Get out and be brave.
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