This Lake Is Texas' Version Of The Dead Sea & Not Many People Know About It

The Dead Sea of Western Asia is one of the world's ultimate tourist destinations, indeed, but perhaps it's a little too far to travel from Texas for your liking.

We Texans sure do love to stay close to home.

Lucky for you, it's a little-known secret that there's actually a salt lake near the southern tip of the Lone Star State with piles of salt, crystal clear saline waters, and much fewer people around visiting.

La Sal del Rey, or "the King's Salt Lake", is a 530-acre, naturally-occurring salt lake in Edinburg, Texas, and it's super serene.

However, the tranquil stillness of the basin is sure to be disrupted by the crunch of the white salt beneath your feet as you stroll along the beach.

That's okay though, because you'll find some pretty cool salt chunks along the way, and they look like dazzling crystals!

The crystal clear body of water sits atop an estimated four million tons of salt, which is said to make the liquid ten times saltier than the ocean.

You might not want to open your eyes or mouth if you choose to take a dip in the briny water.

However, not many people choose to swim here; it's simply like getting to experience the Dead Sea for free, and a heck of a lot closer to home.

Located within the Rio Grande Valley Wildlife Refuge, it's one of three hypersaline lakes in Texas, and a part of the exclusive few that exist in the United States.

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.