Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Gaines County Park




This past weekend, I traveled to the Gaines County Park located in Seminole, Texas. Seminole is around twenty miles from the New Mexico border. The traveling time from Austin to Gaines County Park is around six and a half hours. The park offers an oasis in the middle of a flat, treeless land. The other parts of the county around the park only have green vegetation where farmers water their fields of cotton or peanuts. On the park grounds, there is an eighteen hole golf course, along with several places to hook up recreational vehicles for camping. Within the park are several camping spots with picnic tables, small grills, and running water. Bathrooms including showers are only a couple hundred yards from the furthest camping spot. Camping in this park is a little more comfortable than many parks. It is a perfect camp for someone who does not like to “rough” it.


 
(Image by Author)

Gaines County Park



People come to the park for various activities, ranging from spending the weekend in their recreational vehicle or just coming to the park for the day. Activities include simply enjoying the outdoors and cooking at a camp area, or playing a round of golf. Gaines County Park is relatively large in size, and contains some of the only trees in the area. The trees offer plenty of shade. This is especially appreciated by visitors because it is not uncommon for temperatures in the Texas Panhandle to reach over 100 degrees. Most of the grass around the park is green from the watering of neighboring trees. The greenery helps the visitors feel cooler even on the hottest of days and makes the park very nice. In the Panhandle, the wind blows constantly and it is hot wind in the summer. Trees around the park block the excess winds, allowing just a cool, calm breeze.

Gaines County Park is a great place to spend a weekend or just the day. It offers a delightful camping experience without giving up too many comforts. A person camping at the park would never have to go a day without a shower. People who are seeking a more rugged camping experience may want to go to a different park. For those wanting a more mellow experience, Gaines County Park is a nice place to stay, with many of the comforts of home.


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4 comments:

  1. UnknownAugust 1, 2012 at 1:44 PM

    From the description you provided of this place i most definitely want to go here atleast once. As i mentioned in another comment, i am an outdoorsy person i would absolutely love and appreciate the beauty of this place. Camping with a few friends for a weekend at Gaines County Park does sound like a lot of fun . The thing that fascinates me the most about this park are the small grills, few showers and most importantly the oasis in the middle of this green stretch of land. Nature comes in various forms and its really creditable how human kind comes up with great innovative parks like the Gaines County Park which seems very rejuvenating . Farmers watering their cotton and peanut fields is another site i would love to watch . Great location, since now i have added this place to my bucket list of places i have to visit.

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  2. Michelle FAugust 3, 2012 at 8:29 PM

    I agree with both Michael and Varun that the Gaines County Park would indeed be a relaxing place for someone who isn’t used to camping in hostile environment but who would still want to get a feel of nature. I think this place would be ideal for those who are amateurs in outdoor exposure or who are so accustomed to urban surroundings that it is difficult for them to acclimatize to the wilderness. It is interesting to observe how a treeless land can still act as a tourist attraction by converting the area around it to an oasis so that people can enjoy nature at the same time while taking care of their other needs such as food by having a barbeque grill for lunch followed by a game of golf for exercise/leisure and resting in the shade of the trees in the park to maintain homeostasis in the heat of the summer..

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  3. UnknownAugust 7, 2012 at 2:18 PM

    I can honestly say I have never been REALLY camping.
    When I say "really" I mean like never spent the night in a tent and made a campfire. I have stayed in my friends RV, which also can be considered camping, but I'm talking about camping without the luxuries of having an RV or cooking areas in the RV. I would love to and it is on my list of things to do at some point when I have time cause I feel like everyone should experience camping at least once in their life.
    Camping is not for everyone, I love being outside so I would imagine I would like it but maybe the actually sleeping in a tent outside would change my mind, but who knows. Just have to try it first. And i feel that Gaines County Park would be a great place for my first time camping. It seems beautiful and peaceful and like Michelle said not a very hostile environment to start out in.

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  4. Taylor T.August 7, 2012 at 7:34 PM

    I'm much of a nature person but, some friends of mines want me to go camping with them. This looks like the perfect spot for me. The land isn't covered with a forest of trees nor lots of animals. And there are close by restrooms with showers. Gaines County Park seems like a great park for my first camping experience. So, hopefully I can persuade my friends to drive there or something similar because if not I won't be going.

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