One of the best things about Texas is that this giant state has it all. It has beaches, mountains, prairie land, swamps, dense forests, and barren desert. Monahans, Texas is a tiny west Texas town located deep in the oil field of Texas, but this tiny town adds one of the remarkable gems that makes Texas so special.
Monahans, Texas is most commonly known for its hidden gem, the sandhills. This beautiful centerpiece to this tiny town makes this a top destination for travelers, but are the sandhills all that this west Texas town has to offer? There is more than meets the eye, and actually a few really amazing things to do in Monahans, Texas other than the sandhills! When you head to this magical state park, be sure to add a few of these other activities to your itinerary.
Top Things To Do in Monahans, Texas
Monahans Sandhills State Park
This is the jewel of Monahans, and let’s be for real, this is one of the jewels of Texas. Monahans Sandhills State Park is unlike any other state park in Texas. While most Texas state parks showcase a beautiful forest or a larger body of water, Monahans Sandhills State Park showcases an ocean of sand.
As soon as you pull into the state park you are surrounded by giant sand dunes as far as you can see. It is absolutely breathtaking. The view is incredible, but the reason we love this state park so much is the activities available. At the visitor center, they have rentals available to rent disk and wax to go sand boarding down the sand dunes!
Location: Park Rd #41, Monahans, TX 79756
Mural Hunting
Monahans may be a small town, but it has some large and fantastic works of art. Throughout the town are several giant murals painted at the side of iconic buildings. These beautiful murals depict different aspects of Monahans history.
115 E Sealy Ave, Monahans, TX 79756
Million Barrel Museum
Another unique treasure in Monahans that you will not find anywhere else in Texas, and actually not anywhere else in America is the Million Barrel Tank that you can walk around. I mean sure there are giant tanks all over, but this one is empty and walking around its rim is actually considered a hike in Monahans.
This giant tank is the star of this museum, but there are several buildings that accompany it, each with different exhibits. You can walk through a yard of old farming equipment, into an old home filled with antiques, a building dedicated just to Coca-Cola memorabilia, and even an old airplane hanger dedicated to the Rattlesnake Bomber Base located in the area.
This is a free museum for hiking, learning, and fun. It is the best way to learn what makes Monahans, well Monahans.
Location: 1300 E 5th St, Monahans, TX 79756
Rattlesnake Bomber Base
If you are a fan of military history then prepare yourself for this incredible site. Located just past Pyote, which is right by Monahans, is a small memorial set up in honor of a bomber base that used to be active. Sadly, you cannot get close to the ruins, but you can see them from a distance. I highly advice packing a high-lenses camera or a pair of binoculars so that you can get the best view of these amazing ruins. Fingers crossed that maybe someday, it will be opened to the public to walk through. For now though we can admire history from a distance.
Location:
Mandujano Brothers/Farms
Fun fact about West Texas, one of the absolute best crops to grow in the area are cantaloupes and watermelons. During the summer months you will find vendors parked all around with cantaloupes and melon mountains in their tailgates.
Located south of Monahans, in the tiny town of Coyanosa, is the best place to purchase delicious cantaloupes. Mandujano Brothers Farm distributes the best cantaloupes, watermelons, peppers, and pumpkins of the area. If you are lookin to shop for amazing produce and the flavors of the Monahans area, Mandujano Brothers Farm has it!
If you are visiting during the fall season, they open up one of the best pumpkin patches of West Texas! They have an incredible selection of pumpkins, they serve mouthwatering Elotes, and have all the fun you could ever want in a pumpkin patch. Horse back riding, barrel train rides, a corn maze, large jumping pillow, and so much more!
Location: 4955 Watermelon Row, Coyanosa, TX 79730
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Practical Tips For Visitors:
- Avoid visiting in the summer time- Summer in West Texas is pretty extreme. With temperatures in the 100s on a daily basis, walking on sand is not an enjoyable experience. Unless you want burned feet, I would avoid visiting during the summer time.
- Purchase a Texas State Park pass- If you have made your way to Monahans, which is pretty far out in the middle of nowhere then you are most likely going to visit the other gems of West Texas. The most incredible gems of West Texas are its state parks. So if you made it all the way out to no-man’s land be sure to enjoy the whole package deal, Davis Mountains State Park and Balmorhea State Park. To make the experience more budget friendly, purchase a Texas State Park Pass so that day use is free, and you can get discounts camping.
- Visit on a weekday- I am not gonna lie to you, Monahans is a very, very popular place to spend a weekend. Locals of the area flock to the state park on weekends to relax, go horseback riding in the dunes, fly kits, sand board, and play volleyball. It can get so busy that finding parking can be a challenge. Visiting on a weekday ensures you practically have the whole state park to yourself.
Day Trips From Monahans, Texas:
Odessa– Meteor Crater, Altitude Trampoline Park, Stonehenge, and more
Pecos– West of the Pecos Museum, Balmorhea State Park, Painted boots scavenger hunt, and more
Midland– Museum of the Southwest, Sibley Nature Center, I-20 Wildlife Preserve, and more
Carlsbad– Brantley Lake State Park, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Sitting Bull Falls, and more
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