Toyahvale, Texas: World's Largest Swimming Pool
It holds 3.5 million gallons of water and covers almost two acres. Fish and turtles live in it now, and swimming is still an option.
Balmorhea State Park
- Address:
- Hwy 17, Toyahvale, TX
- Directions:
- In Balmorhea State Park. FROM EAST: I-10 exit 206, then Hwy 2903 south to Balmorhea, then right on Hwy 17 four miles to the Park. FROM WEST: I-10 exit 192, then Hwy 3078 east around 12 miles to the Park.
- Hours:
- Open daily 8-5 (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
- Phone:
- 432-375-2370
- Admission:
- Park entry $7/person
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Visitor Tips and News About World's Largest Swimming Pool
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The state park is home to a one-of-a-kind endangered fish. The swimming pool is spring-fed and the deep area is left natural. A great place to swim, snorkel and even SCUBA. The cabins are nice.
[Martha Decker, 07/25/2012]
Next time you're visiting Paisano Pete in Fort Stockton, TX take a trip down to Toyahvale, TX to see the World's Largest Swimming Pool. The Pool is spring-fed, covers 1 3/4 acres, has a year-round temperature of 78 degrees, is 25 feet deep in places, and holds over 3 1/2 million gallons (or 3 1/2 Peachoids of water).
The pool was created during the Great Depression as a WPA project. The PC/environmental movement hates the pool, saying "its construction destroyed a unique desert wetland environment"-- but who would go to see that? I'm going to see the pool!
For the record, some species of fish and turtles survived the construction and live in the pool, which is now billed as a "unique Wildlife Sanctuary in the Desert". There are projects in place to recreate the original wetlands using runoff from the pool. I sure hope they don't drain the whole thing.
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