Located near Edinburg in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, La Sal Del Rey is a natural salt lake that boasts a glassy “mirrored illusion” atop the reflective surface of its shallow waters – much like the largest salt pan in all of Bolivia, the Salar de Uyuni, which is pictured above. (Dustin Hill/Washington Post News Service)
Are you looking to expand your horizons when it comes to Texas-based destinations? Then you may want to add this one hidden gem to your 2026 bucket list, according to the Lone Star State’s travel tastemaker, Texas Highways.
Located near Edinburg in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, La Sal Del Rey is a natural salt lake that boasts a glassy “mirrored illusion” atop the reflective surface of its shallow waters – much like the largest salt pan in all of Bolivia, the Salar de Uyuni, which is pictured above.
The lake is a part of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, where wildlife like the black swallowtail butterfly, the white-tailed deer and the sandhill crane thrive.
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La Sal del Rey Lake in rural Hidalgo County, Texas, is shown in this handout photo made June 17, 2004. An environmental group has recognized a pair of historic Rio Grande Valley salt lakes as key nesting sites for the United States’ largest shorebird, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service said Thursday, June 24, 2004. (AP Photo/ U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Patty Alexander) (PATTY ALEXANDER/AP)
“Indigenous, Spanish, and Anglo settlers extracted salt from here, and today, visitors walk the salty shoreline and – sort of – atop the shallow waters, as the still, salty lake creates a mirrored illusion,” Texas Highways’ Amanda Ogle wrote for the publication.
“In the late summer, the white salt on the lake turns reddish due to the accumulation of a salt-loving bacteria. Hiking is popular across the 6,000-acre property here, and fauna is abundant.”
According to multiple Google reviews of the area, the entire span of the lake is approximately three miles across, and the gorgeous views are even more beautiful in person – especially around sunset.
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“So beautiful and so pink! The floor sparkles when you get there!” Google user Jaimi wrote in a late 2025 review. “I couldn’t capture it on camera but, it is soo worth going in person! ✨️”
“This is one of those places you just have to go see once in your life,” another Google user, Luna Liberación, wrote a year ago. “The glitter, the wildlife, the vast array of birds and lizards on the walk to get to the lake itself was fantástico.”
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Travelers recommend bringing along plenty of water for the hike, as well as comfortable shoes with thick soles to protect your feet from the sharp salt plates. Reviewers also characterize the destination as one of the state’s most gorgeous hidden gems.
“This place is awesome. And it definitely doesn’t have much advertising,” wrote Google user K W. “You could drive right past it and never know it was there. If you’re in the area, definitely take the time to stop and see it.”
Patty Alexander with U.S. Fish and Wildlife service outreach specialist walks on the salt lake known as the “Sal del Rey” as part of the 5,384-acre tract in the Lower Rio Grande Valley wildlife refuge. DELCIA LOPEZ/STAFF (DELCIA LOPEZ/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS)
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This article originally published at This Texas hidden gem should be on your 2026 travel ‘bucket list’.