Palo Duro Canyon has been carved by the Red River in the Panhandle in northern Texas. It is 118 miles long and, on average, 6 miles wide, making it the second largest canyon in the United States, after the world-famous Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Inhabited by Apache, Comanche, and Kiowa, for whom it is a sacred place, it has since become private property, and has been a state park since 1934. Its rugged beauty has inspired artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, who often depicted it in her paintings.
With its sweeping vistas, orange-red sandstone pinnacles, and curious rock formations, it is a little corner of the Southwest in Texas. It is perfect for spending a day in nature if you are traveling Route 66, or if you are on a road trip in Texas.
Have we piqued your curiosity? Well then, let’s go explore Palo Duro Canyon State Park.
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How to Get to Palo Duro Canyon
Palo Duro Canyon State Park has only one entrance, which is located in the northern part of the park, 12 miles from a small town called Canyon. Here is how to get there:
- From Amarillo, take I-40 and immediately take the exit to I-27. Then take exit 122 B and get on S Washington Street. Drive for about 13 miles until you cross TX 217 E. At this point, turn left to arrive at the park entrance. Travel time is about 40 minutes.
- If you are in South Texas, for example in Lubbock, take I-27 north for about 100 miles. Take exit 103 and then S Washington Street. Continue for 11 miles, again until the intersection with TX 217E, and this time turn right. The travel time is about 1 h 40 min.
- A final possibility is if you are coming from New Mexico, for example from White Sands National Park or Roswell. In this case, you will need to take US-70 E eastward to the Texas border and the small town called Clovis. Here, turn right at the intersection with E 1st Street, which then becomes US-60. Continue east to Canyon. At this point, take Frontage Road and then make a right on FM 3331. From here you will rejoin, as described above, S Washington Street and TX 217E. Roswell is 340 miles and about 3 1/2 hours away, while Alamogordo (White Sands park reference city) is a good 520 miles away, and it will take about 5 hours to reach Palo Duro Canyon from there.
How to fit it into a road trip
Palo Duro Canyon State Park is a pleasant detour from the traditional Route 66 route, one that does not take too much time and will not cause you to stray too far from the route. You can fit it between Amarillo and Tucumcari on the New Mexico section of Route 66.
Another option is to devote a trip entirely to the Lone Star State, to which you can add a short detour into neighboring New Mexico to see the wonderful White Sands National Park. If that is your itinerary, add a visit to Palo Duro Canyon between Amarillo and Alamogordo, or between Amarillo and Lubbock if you are visiting Texas (here is my Texas travel itinerary as an example).
Best Time to Visit Palo Duro Canyon
In the summer the weather is scorching, and temperatures often exceed 86°. It is also more likely, given the temperature range, to run into violent afternoon thunderstorms, with the risk of flash floods. Winters are drier, with lows slightly below 32° and highs around 50-55°, with occasional snowfall.
The best time to visit Palo Duro Canyon is during spring or fall when the weather is warm but not muggy. April, May, September, and October are the best months.
Tickets, Opening hours, and Other Useful Information
The park is open daily (7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m). Since Palo Duro Canyon State Park is not a national park, you will not be able to use the America the Beautiful parks card. Daily admission is $8 for adults and free for children under 12 years old.
There is also the possibility to purchase the Texas State Park Pass, which grants one-year access to all Texas state parks and may be a good idea in case your itinerary includes many parks in Texas (full list here). Unlike the national parks card, this pass is individual, so everyone must have their own card. The cost is $70 and $25 for members of the same household as the cardholder.
The only Visitor Center is located just beyond the entrance and is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Stop by to get maps of the park and trails, as well as general information on the status of the trails and road.
About 2.5 miles further, there is a small Trading Post, where you can buy souvenirs and snacks. There is also a gas station (not marked on the park map), but in any case, it is best to fill up at Canyon, before entering the park. On this website, you can download pdf maps of the park and trails to take with you at all times.
Before you go, check the weather conditions and see if there are any alerts on the park’s Facebook page. It is good to inform yourself, since some trails or sections of the scenic road may be closed.
Things to Do at Palo Duro Canyon
The main activities at Palo Duro Canyon State Park consist of driving the scenic road, hiking some trails, watching wildlife, and attending shows and guided activities.
Plan to spend half a day, or even a full day if you want to hike, which I recommend because most of the scenic spots are at the end of the trails.
Palo Duro Canyon Scenic Drive
P5 is the only road that runs through the park. It is 16 miles long and it takes you to all the points of interest. Before getting on P5, however, stop at the Palo Duro Creek Ranch, to observe a small herd of longhorns, a symbol of Texas.
The main outlook at Palo Duro Canyon State Park is located behind the Visitor Center. It faces south and offers a view of the canyon in its entirety, with the garish contrasts between the red-orange of the rocks, and the green of the vegetation.
In the first section, you will see, on the right, the ubiquitous silhouette of Capitol Peak, the tallest rock formation in the park. After a few miles the road branches off, forming a loop through the canyon floor. About two miles after the fork, on the right, you will notice a small rest area. From here, walk a short distance to Big Cave, a large hole in the rocks. Besides admiring the uniqueness of this cave, take note of the white stratifications that seem to cut the red pinnacles in half.
Along P5 you will find several picnic areas near the campsites. These are often populated by friendly turkeys, who will come to claim a few crumbs of your meal. However, bear in mind that it is always better to observe the wildlife and not feed them.
Palo Duro Canyon Trails
Palo Duro Canyon State Park has as many as 16 hiking trails of varying altitudes and difficulty. One of them, the Capitol Peak Trail, is reserved for mountain bikes. Here are the hiking trails I recommend:
- Pioneer Nature Trail is an easy 0.5-mile flat trail, perfect for families. It is a loop that goes all the way to the river and back. It is possible to see some turkeys and, if you are lucky, even a roadrunner, the famous cartoon character Beep Beep. The entrance is in the parking lot of the Mack Dick Group Pavilion.
- Lighthouse Trail. This is the park’s most popular trail. It’s 5.6 miles long round trip and has an elevation gain of 492 ft. It traverses the canyon through multicolored rocks, dry creeks, and shrubs until it reaches the iconic 295-ft pinnacle known as the Lighthouse. In the last stretch, there is a significant incline, and you will have to use your hands to climb. Once you reach the top, you will be rewarded by the view. The trail begins about 4 miles from the Visitor Center, just before the junction.
- Paseo del Rio is a 2-mile linear trail round trip, with an elevation gain of 85 ft. It starts at the Hackberry Campground and follows the course of the river. If you decide to hike this trail, stop at the Cowboy Dugout, where you can see the old cabins of the cowboys who lived here in the late 1800s.
- Rock Garden Trail is a 5-mile linear trail (round trip), with an elevation gain of 775 ft. It is called “rock garden” because it winds through large granite boulders. The trail is all uphill, and leads to the canyon rim, with spectacular 180-degree views. When you are halfway up, I recommend veering to the left and taking the Rylander Fortress Cliff Trail, which follows the canyon ridge and has some spectacular viewpoints. The flat trail continues for 3.7 miles, but you can turn back at any time.
In the summer, the temperatures get high, so remember to take plenty of water with you and cover your head in order to stay cool. I also recommend wearing long pants, because several plants along the trails have thorns or are prickly.
Other activities
In addition to driving along the parkway and hiking, there are many other activities you can do at Palo Duro Canyon State Park.
The Texas Outdoor Musical is an evening show that retells the adventures of early Texas settlers with dancing, music, and special effects. The show runs in June, July, and August, at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Spectators can also enjoy a barbecue dinner. Costs vary depending on the location and type of ticket, so I recommend checking the official website.
The park’s landscapes also lend themselves perfectly to horseback riding. Old West Stables organizes one-hour guided rides for adults and children over 6 years old. You can find it along P5, just past the trading post.
Places to Stay Near Palo Duro Canyon
The best place to stay overnight is in Amarillo. This well-known Route 66 tourist destination famous for the Cadillac Ranch is located 40 miles from the park. For an over-the-top, colorful, and fun experience, stay at the Big Texan Motel. It is a Western-themed motel that even features a pool shaped like Texas!
All accommodations in Amarillo
However, the nearest town is Canyon, only 20 miles away. Two great options here are the Best Western Palo Duro Canyon Inn & Suites, and the adjacent Holiday Inn Express.
If you prefer to spend the night inside the park, you can opt for a stay in a cabin at the campground. These stone cabins are equipped with a bathroom, refrigerator, microwave oven, and outdoor grill, and sleep up to 4 people. Staying in this beautiful place under the stars and watching the sunrise will be an unforgettable experience.
Places to Eat Near the Canyon
Big Texan Ranch also has a celebrated steakhouse, best known for the 72 oz Steaks Challenge. A 2-pound steak has to be eaten within an hour including sides. Winners get free dinner and will be forever memorialized on the restaurant’s Wall of Fame.
Another option in Amarillo is Coyote Bluff Cafe, a tiny cafe that serves excellent burgers. Its specialty is the spicy “Burger from hell”.
If you are staying in Canyon and prefer to dine there, I recommend Feldman’s Wrong Way Diner, a typical American Tex-Mex restaurant. Joe Taco Canyon, on the other hand, is a Mexican restaurant where you can try tacos, fajitas, and enchiladas complimented by a good margarita. For a cheaper option, there is Buff’s, which is a burger joint.
