The campground is located in Monahans Sandhills State Park in west Texas about a half-hour drive southwest of Odessa and consists of 3,840 acres of sand dunes in Ward and Winkler counties.

The park opened in 1957.

Monahans Sandhills state park entrance can be accessed at exit 86, east or west, from Interstate Highway 20, which is also about five miles east of the town of Monahans, Texas.

From the entrance to the state park, the campsite is about 1.5 miles north on SH Park Road 41 and right after the restroom/shower house.

Great Plains Region of Texas

Toyah Basin Ecoregion

During the second migration, the Central division of the Numic family group of indigenous people specifically, the tribe of the Comanche moved into the sand hills areas of Texas and used this land for temporary campgrounds, normally for a meeting place. When camped here, they found game, plenty of fresh water beneath the sands as well as acorns and mesquite beans which were used to grind into a powder for making bread.

Some time later, during the third migration, some of the Athabascan cultures began to use the sand hills for camping, hunting and access to water. The primary Athabascan culture in this area were the Southern culture division, particularly the Mescalero and the Chiricahua Apache tribes.

The Southern Division of the Athabascan people continued to use the area until the 1880s, which is about when the Texas and Pacific Railroad selected Monahans as a water stop between the Pecos River and the town of Big Spring.

Activities include: camping, exploring, watching sunsets and sunrises, picnicking, horseback riding, dune surfing,

Also available is the Dunagan Visitors center where you can learn about the park and its natural and cultural history.

In the western area of the state lies a Texas sized sand box in which the wind sculpts sand dunes into peaks and valleys, sometimes over­night. Monahans Sandhills State Park offers a close up view of a unique desert environment as well as a sand box for kids of all ages.

The park does not have maintain marked trails in the sand dunes, but visitors are free to explore at will. However, it is very important to watch out for the many types of creatures (some dangerous), plants and wild­flowers that thrive in what seems to be an inhospitable place.

Odessa Meteor Crater (31.75714533, -102.4787265)

Campground has restroom with showers.

Dump station for Gray and Black water.

Adults $4.00

Children 12 Years and Under Free

25 Electric-Water sites: $15.00 per night, per site

covered picnic table, fire ring, waist high grill, water and electric hookups.

Awake, arise, dress in my fall blues, climb into the front of the jammer, don my shoes, step out and then do my morning walk. Upon returning to the jammer, I open up the rear, grab my three ups and add the specific items in each to prepare my f-meal. Then, I set the three cup further forward, close the rear lift door, walk around to the drivers door and climb into the jammer, not stoping until I am sitting in the office seat. I then set up my water kettle, fill it with one liter of water, place the kettle on its base and turn the switch to the on position and wait for the water to boil.

Meanwhile, outside, a covey of scaled quails run quickly through the area checking it out for food. Two of the quail fly up to the top of one of the picnic table shelters while the rest fly off to the near by sand dune. They then all leave as quickly as the arrived and the sand dunes all return to their quite tranquility.

Before I arrived here at this state park, I made reservations for three nights, which began this evening. Too, I selected campsite number 1 which is the closest to the restroom and shower house. Being in this location has made it easy for me to walk to the building for my needs. Except for the shower and mens room, every thing else is at the campsite, that is electricity, water, picnic table and fire grill, the last two which I do not use on this visit.

Arising early this morning, I am able to see and photograph the sunrise, which is not the best I have ever seen, but I believe the sunglow displays have been somewhat subdued here during this visit, as they are normally more dramatic.

This building was built by Texas and Pacific Railway for one of its track foremen who were stationed every 20 miles along the rail road. Section houses in the Permian basin had water and Human aid for men sand-bogged or stranded in storms.