Willow Draw Campground

Ever wanted to hike on Mars? Monahans Sandhills State Park comes pretty close. You’ll feel like you’re in a sci-fi movie set as you hike the barren, sandy landscape, climbing up pyramid peaked dunes and past lonely mesquite trees. Carry along a sand disc and you can surf your way down the dunes. Bring plenty of water and sunscreen on a hike through the dunes, as you’re guaranteed to get a little dry and crispy out here. Picnic tables are spread throughout the park, so bring along lunch and you can enjoy a whole day of hiking up and surfing down. A short nature trail begins at the Dunagan Visitor Center, and will teach you a thing or two about the landscape and wildlife around you.

Give your horse a taste of freedom at Monahans Sandhills State Park, where you’ll find 800 acres of unmarked land open to equestrians. You’ll have the best view of the majestic, desert landscape from horseback. If either of you become tired or hot, just stop under the shade of a mesquite tree for a drink of water. The park makes horseback riding easy with a trailer parking area and fenced corral near the entrance of the equestrian area, and potable water is available at multiple locations. The equestrian area is day use only, so you won’t be able to come camping with your horse, but you can certainly give it a day in the dunes to remember.

Surfing? In the desert? You might be surprised to hear that surfing is a favorite pastime at Monahans Sandhills State Park. Instead of ocean waves, you’ll be surfing on sand toboggans or sand discs, flying down the sandy dunes at record speeds. Head to park headquarters to rent a disc for the day, and there’s no way you won’t have an epic time ripping down those dunes. Some people even bring their own snowboards for an extra challenging ride through the sand.

Monahans Sandhills State Park encompasses only a small section of this enormous dune field. Unlike most of the 200-mile dune field, the dunes here are still active, meaning they grow, shrink and change shape as a result of the wind, making Monahans Sandhills State Park a completely unique landscape. The dunes might feel alive, but there’s also plenty of real wildlife to see, including mule deer, fox, coyote, bobcat, wild hog, and porcupine. The best time to spot wildlife is at dusk or dawn. Head to the lowlands between dunes where freshwater ponds often form or check out the wildlife through the windows of the interpretive center, which look out onto watering stations.