5 Things to See With Your Baseball or Softball Team in the Pecos, Texas, Area

Nothing says exploring a Wild West town than looking for 18 gigantic boots in our beautiful city. No, none of your kids can fit them on their feet. However, each of these boots is very photogenic and deserves a spot on your Instagram feed! Follow the Pecos Boot Trail to find out fun stuff about our museums, restaurant, history, and legends.

Forty miles south of Pecos is a true oasis in the desert. Forget the swimming pool at your hotel. This state park offers a much better place to cool off in the summer sun. 

Balmorhea State Park is the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool. Built as part of a Civilian Conservation Corps program in the 1930s, families have been enjoying this park for more than 80 years. Not only can you swim, but you can scuba dive and snorkel. The pool is 25 feet deep, covers 1.3 acres, and holds 3.5 million gallons of water. The natural springs move 15 million gallons of water through the pool every day, and the water temperature stays between 72 and 76 degrees all year long. 

If you really love this spot, reserve a place at the on-site motel or the campground. The motel also dates back to the 1930s, but the interior has been updated since then.

Continuing our outdoors theme, a few miles south of Balmorhea State Park sits two major landmarks of the area: McDonald Observatory and the adjacent Mount Livermore.

If your kiddos love to stargaze, we’ve got the place to pique their interest. Members of the public can visit McDonald Observatory, owned by the University of Texas at Austin, from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Students perform astronomical research here on a regular basis. The observatory sits in a dark sky reserve, meaning observers get a view of the night sky unhindered by artificial electric lights that come from big cities. You can also register for events if you’re in town at the right time.

Adjacent to the observatory is Mount Livermore, part of the Davis Mountains Preserve. More than 100,000 acres of pristine wilderness are on display here. Mount Livermore is more than 8,000 feet above sea level, and the mountain and surrounding landscape have trees on them, which are rarely found in an arid desert landscape. Mount Livermore is the highest mountain in the region. Families can explore the Madera Canyon Trail as an outdoor adventure. The nature preserve itself is only open on select days, so check ahead of time to see if your group can reserve your time.

Step back in time 125 years at West of the Pecos Museum. One of our aforementioned pairs of giant boots sits directly outside. The original saloon dates back to 1896 with the hotel built in 1904. More than 50 rooms of exhibits showcase artifacts from a time before cars, airplanes, cellphones, and the widespread use of electricity. Plenty of photo ops are waiting for your family in this historic building.

If you love history and Fort Davis wasn’t enough, head 55 miles southeast of Pecos to Fort Stockton to see the historic fort, which was once part of the Buffalo Soldiers’ outposts. Four original buildings still stand, and the public can tour the fort and see historical markers. Every third weekend in October is Living History Day with re-enactors, exhibits, and displays that turn the fort into a time machine of what the late 1800s was like in this area.

While you’re in Fort Stockton, check out Paisano Pete, a 22-foot statue depicting the city’s mascot and the world’s largest roadrunner. 

Related Post: What Makes Cyclone Ballparks the Ultimate Youth Baseball Destination

Cyclone Ballparks, located in Pecos, Texas, is a premier location that welcomes travel baseball and softball tournaments and families from all over the country! With five synthetic turf diamond fields and several amenities, we’re capable of hosting the biggest and most competitive baseball or softball tournaments. 

Plan your visit to Cyclone Ballparks today, and learn more about upcoming events by checking out our tournament calendar.