Texas Is Home To 3 Natural Salt Lakes & It’s Like A Free Trip To The Dead Sea
The best things in life are salty.
A person holds salt crystals from La Sal del Rey. Right: A woman walks on the salt beach of La Sal del Rey.
The vast Texas environment is popularly known as being geographically flat, extremely hot, filled with tumbleweeds, and has ugly beaches.
Little do outsiders know they are wrong about most of that.
There are tons of different things to do in the Lone Star State with gorgeous landscapes to visit, like going on an impressive mountain hike or heading to massive, crystal clear lakes.
There is no shortage of unique natural wonders, and you simply wouldn't believe how many exist.
A perfect example is the naturally occurring salt lakes at the southern tip of the state. They are like the Dead Sea or the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, but a little closer to home.
La Sal del Rey
The 530-acre expanse is probably the state's most popular saline lake, yet it's still somewhat of a hidden gem simply because many people still don't know it exists.
It sits on an estimate of 4 million tons of salt, which leaves giant salt crystals along the white salty beach that you can take home. You can't float in it like the Dead Sea, but it's still a unique experience.
Your friends probably won't believe you when you tell them it's in Texas!
East Lake, La Sal Blanca
La Sal Blanca is pretty much right next to La Sal del Rey within the Lower Rio Grande National Wildlife Refuge.
It's a smaller, fenced-in lake with a salt beach just as cool as La Sal del Rey.
This lake is more popular with the surrounding coastal wildlife like the Gull-billed Terns who nest there rather than the people who visit. In fact, access to this lake is sometimes restricted during the height of the bird's nesting season.
La Sal Vieja
Known in English as "Old Salt," the lesser-known lake is about a 30-minute drive from the other two mentioned above.
The historical site supposedly once had giant salt deposits that were used in trades between Coahuiltecan Native Americans and Spanish settlers back in the days, according to the Texas State Historical Association.
While there aren't literal piles of salt anymore, there are still some cool photo opportunities when the salty water recedes and red salt is left.
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.