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Grand Canyon of Texas

Palo Duro attracts visitors with dramatic scenery, natural beauty and deep history.

By Russell Roe

January | February 2025 Issue

Palo Duro State Park
Photo by Sonja Sommerfeld

We woke up early to hike to the top of Palo Duro Canyon's Sorenson Peak, a formation that stands sentinel over the Hackberry Campground. We could see our breath in the cold as we exhaled, an act that steadily grew more rapid as we huffed and puffed our way up the incline of the trail. As we hiked higher and higher, more and more of the park unfolded before us — the pinks, oranges, reds and greens of the canyon becoming visible in the morning light.

Suddenly, the silence was punctuated with the sound of a coyote chorus in the distance — the staccato yips, yaps and barks that serve as a form of bonding as well as a territorial display. We stopped to catch our breath and to appreciate this wild encounter in a wild place.

You can experience special moments like this in Palo Duro Canyon, one of the largest, most loved and most visited parks in the Texas state park system. The second largest canyon in the country offers rugged beauty and colorful history in the Texas Panhandle, a region otherwise known for its unending prairies.

“I feel like the best thing about Palo Duro is the ‘awe’ factor,” says Park Superintendent David Fischer. “You drive in across the High Plains and you don't see Palo Duro coming until you get here. I remember when I was a little kid coming to Palo Duro for the first time, and I was like, ‘Where is it?’ You don't see it coming until you're in the park and you drop down into this beautiful canyon.”

By the Numbers

Size: 28,000 acres
Closest Town: Canyon
Year Opened: 1934
Busy Season: Summer (during the Texas musical).
Fun Fact: The National Park Service seriously considered making Palo Duro Canyon a national park in the 1930s, envisioning it as a “National Park of the Plains.”

Three Hikes

Paseo del Rio Trail
Photo by Maegan Lanham

Easy: Paseo del Rio Trail (1 mile one way)

This trail features views of Capitol Peak and takes visitors to the Dugout, a replica wood and rock structure similar to the kind that would have been built by Palo Duro cowboys in the 1880s. The trail parallels the park road and the Prairie Dog Fork of the Red River.

Rojo Grande/Sunflower/Cottonwood Trail
Photo by Maegan Lanham

Moderate: Rojo Grande/Sunflower/Cottonwood trails (3.8 miles one way)

These shady, scenic, interconnected trails explore the canyon bottom, passing through the rusty red Quartermaster geologic formation in some sections. Watch for beautiful veins of white gypsum in the rock. “This is one of my go-to hikes,” Fischer says. “These three trails connect with one another. You'e down in the riparian [streamside] areas of the park, so it's a little bit cooler. You have shade, and you'e also walking along the stream on most of those trails.”

Lower Comanche Trail
Photo by Maegan Lanham

Challenging: Lower Comanche Trail (4.4 miles one way)

Lower Comanche takes hikers on an adventure through the canyon. The trail travels about halfway up the canyon wall, beneath the craggy face of Fortress Cliff and crossing spring-fed streams along the way. Stop to rest in the shade of a Rocky Mountain juniper, the tree that gives the “Hard Wood” Canyon its name. “It's one of our newer trails in the park,” Fischer says. “It's my favorite because it offers the best views.”


Plan Your State Park Visit

Attend a Musical

In the summer months, the outdoor musical TEXAS fills the Pioneer Amphitheatre. The long-running musical drama depicts the lives of ranchers and farmers in pioneer Texas with pageantry, music and dancing. A lone horseman carrying the Texas flag atop a 600-foot cliff starts off the show in stirring fashion.

Check out the Visitors Center and Trading Post

The visitors center, on the canyon rim, offers displays on park history along with books and pottery for sale. Look for souvenirs, snacks and meals at The Trading Post on the canyon floor.

Palo Duro State Park biking
Photo by Maegan Lanham

Go Biking or Hiking

More than 30 miles of trails crisscross the park, covering all of the park's ecosystems from streams on the canyon floor to the tops of the highest cliffs. There are trails for hikers, bikers and horseback riders. The Lighthouse Trail leading to the Lighthouse formation is one of the state's most popular.

See the CCC

Check out the handiwork of the CCC workers who built the park. Highlights include El Coronado Lodge (now the visitors center), various bridges and the cabins on the rim and canyon floor. Designers planned the park to maximize views and complement the surroundings.

Ride Horses

At the southeastern end of the park, horseback riders can camp in the equestrian camp area and explore 1,500 acres on equestrian-only trails. The Old West Stables rents horses and leads tours.

Visit the Longhorns

Members of Texas' Official Longhorn Herd can be seen in a pasture near park headquarters.

Attend a Ranger Program

The park offers a variety of programs to educate and inspire visitors. Learn about park history and features through programs on geology, Native Americans, bison and the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Hoodoos: Palo Duro State Park
Photo by Maegan Lanham

Hoodoos

Fairy towers, goblins, earth pyramids; there are many different names for those rock pillars also known as hoodoos. Palo Duro has lots of them. Hoodoos typically consist of softer rock topped by harder, less easily eroded stone. The Lighthouse is Palo Duro's most famous, but hoodoos can be found all over the park. The Devil's Tombstone and Red Star hoodoos, with their skinny bodies and broad caps, are dramatic examples, visible from the Givens, Spicer, Lowry Trail. In fact, if you really want to do the hoodoos that Palo Duro does so well, Fischer suggests hiking the GSL Trail on your way to the Lighthouse to get the most of the hoodoo experience.

Overnight Stays

For camping, choose from campsites with water and electricity, tent sites, equestrian sites or backpack sites. The park has four camping areas - Hackberry, Mesquite, Wolfberry and Fortress Cliffs. Fischer likes site 24 in the Hackberry Camp Area. “The Prairie Dog Fork of the Red River loops around that campground, and there's lots of shade and wildlife. You can often see turkeys, roadrunners and white-tailed deer.”

Palo Duro State Park cabin
Photo by Sonja Sommerfeld

Cabins on the canyon rim and canyon floor allow you to admire the craftsmanship of the CCC. The rim cabins - there are only three - are masterworks of the CCC, sitting perched on the edge of the canyon, offering spectacular views. They are often booked, so plan ahead.
The park has started offering glamping cabins and tents for a new and unique experience. Sites are fully furnished with air conditioning, luxury rustic furnishings, refrigerators and more. Visit tpwd.texas.gov/palodurocanyon to learn more.


True Story

ringtail cat
Photo by RMB Photographics

“Every year we do spotlight surveys to get counts on our deer populations. Our rangers were out doing that survey, and they were talking about ringtail cats. They just happen to be talking about them, and not even a couple seconds later, they spotted not one but two ringtail cats. They're pretty rare — here in this area of Texas anyway — but it's even more rare that they were just talking about them and then happened to see two ringtail cats. One of the rangers ended up pulling out his phone and taking a video, and it just took off on social media.”
- Park Superintendent David Fischer


Selfie Spots

Big Cave, Palo Duro State Park
Photo by Sonja Sommerfeld

Big Cave

The pockmarked Big Cave invites exploration in its many hideaways. “It's pretty cool to take pictures from inside the Big Cave looking out,” Fischer says. “Those are always really neat photos.”

Overlook

The Overlook at the visitors center is one of the most popular photo spots, and for good reason. It offers some of the best views of the canyon without having to go too far from your car (and you can see the Lighthouse in the background).

Lighthouse

Palo Duro's iconic pillar makes a great backdrop. The 300-foot sandstone formation is instantly recognizable.


Pro Packing List

Aside from the necessities, these items can make your trip to Palo Duro State Park even more enjoyable.

Katabatic Gear: Tarn, ultralight down jacket, Mountain Berry

Katabatic Gear

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MSRP: $269.00
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Katabatic Gear: Palisade, ultralight sleeping quilts, Woodland Green

Katabatic Gear

Katabatic Gear has been making ultralight sleeping bags (quilts) for over 15 years. Designed for warmth, versatility, and a restful night's sleep under the stars. Premium materials, two styles (Flex and Elite), five temperature ratings, six sizes.
MSRP: $309.00
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