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Picnic Area

Picnic Area from directly overhead

Picnic Area is a rest area in Texas, at a modelled elevation of 876 m. Fivemile Mesa stands 1,024 m to the west, 16 miles off. The nearest named place is Darrels Peak, a peak 3.7 miles away. Texas Pecos Trail passes 15 miles off. 63 named places lie within 25 miles, 23 of them named summits.

To meet the needs of travelers for places where they could stop for rest and eat their lunches, Texas began creating roadside parks in the l930s. Built in typically shady areas, the parks offered drivers and their passengers some respite on hot summer day

What to expect

Operated by
Texas Department of Transportation

How to reach it

Coordinates30.86039, -102.54920

63 named places within 25 miles

Peaks: 23
  • Darrels Peak: 3.7 mi
  • Big Mesa: 3.9 mi
  • Panther Bluff: 3.9 mi
  • Big Baldy Peak: 6.1 mi
  • Skyscraper Peak: 6.6 mi
Parks: 9
Ghost towns: 2
Artworks: 2
  • Paisano Pete: Giant Roadrunner: 19.7 mi
  • Giant Road Runner: 19.7 mi
Springs: 1
  • Comanche Springs: 19.6 mi
Museums: 1
Picnic sites: 1
  • Horsehead Crossing Picnic Area: 20.6 mi

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 25 miles of Picnic Area. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Fivemile MesaW1,024 m15.5 mi
McKenzie MesaESE1,010 m10.0 mi
Sherbino MesaESE990 m16.5 mi
Fivemile HillW972 m22.4 mi
Twomile HillW961 m22.8 mi
Big MesaNNE960 m3.9 mi
Guayule MountainNW957 m10.5 mi
East MesaNW953 m7.5 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:5519:3020:02
June solstice06:4820:2220:57
September equinox07:3919:1619:48
December solstice07:4517:1717:53

Local time (America/Chicago).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Feb–May, Sep–Nov.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F465058667481838276665447
Precip in1.00.60.81.01.61.71.31.62.11.50.90.6

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Bakersfield, 15 mi away.

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap element way/894744060

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