Travel Guide: 3 Days in Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Intro
Everyone knows the saying, “Everything is bigger in Texas.” While that’s not technically true, we do have many beautiful sights, including the second largest canyon in the United States – Palo Duro Canyon. This beautiful canyon located in, conveniently named, Palo Duro Canyon State Park is truly a gem located in the Texas panhandle. Located 30 miles south of Amarillo and 380 miles northwest of Dallas, this won’t be a daytrip for most Texans. Driving from Waco, this state park was 7 hours away. I would say it deserves at least a full day to explore. We decided to do a camping trip in the canyon on the weekend before Thanksgiving. A day to get there, one full day in the park, and then a day to get home made our trip a total of 3 days.
Do you want visit Palo Duro Canyon, but you’re not sure what to do? Keep reading!
Before You Go
Things to do
You have the options of exploring the canyon by foot, mountain bike, horse or car. They have more than 30 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. You’re also able to camp, geocache, study nature, or even bird watch. During the summer, you should definitely buy tickets for a performance of TEXAS Outdoor Musical. This musical runs during the summer months (June, July, August) and offers performances in the evenings. Check their website for exact dates and times of performances and to buy tickets.
Weather
How about another Texas saying? “If you don’t like the weather in Texas, just wait an hour.” This can especially be true of the panhandle of Texas. You never can predict the weather from month to month or even week to week. Palo Duro Canyon will follow typical stereotypes of the seasons – summer can be extremely hot (upper 90’s – 100 degrees) and winter can be cold (30-40 degrees). The Spring and Fall are typically where the good weather can be found, but like I said, it’s Texas – you just never know.
We visited in November during a cold spell. Temperatures were in the 30’s with a strong wind blowing. It was not the most ideal weather to visit the canyon, but since we were so excited to for the weekend away, we were going no matter what.
Reservations
You will need to make reservations for a campsite before you head all the way out to this state park. The Texas State Parks have a website where reservations for all state parks can be made. We reserved a spot at the Cactus camping area which is perfect for car camping. The only downside is driving to the bathroom a mile away. If camping isn’t your thing, there are also cabins to rent on or near the canyon that are great options. We also made reservations with Old West Stables to ride horses while in the park.
Packing
We packed for camping using our Ultimate Car Camping Checklist. While we were there, weather was expected to be in the 30’s, so we brought lots of layers and warm clothes. Remember that you’re in the desert. The day may be very hot during the summer, but the evening can still be cool. Check the weather before you go and pack accordingly. For food, we brought food to make on our campfire, but we also planned to eat a few meals in Canyon as well. We also always bring at least a 3 gallon jug of water when camping.
Our 3 Day Itinerary in Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Real Talk: On our way to Palo Duro Canyon, my uncle called and said he had a friend with a house near the canyon with extra rooms. After looking at the weather and seeing the wind chill was going to be in the 20’s at night, we decided to stay with his friend for the two evenings we were there. Since we already had already paid for our campsite, we still used it to eat lunch during the day and cook dinner at night.
Day 1: Getting there & horseback riding
Go to the Visitor Center and learn about the canyon
Drive into the canyon and set up your campsite
Head to the Old West Stables for horseback riding
I feel like this is a true Texas experience! The tour guide was knowledgeable about the canyon and horse safety. We had a great time on this ride and I would recommend it to anyone coming to the canyon.
Hike the CCC Overlook Trail to Goodnight Peak Trail (3 miles/1.5 hours) for sunset photos
We started in the parking lot of the amphitheater and worked our way up. It’s the perfect hike if you’re short on time.
Drive into Canyon and eat dinner at Joe Taco
Day 2: Exploring the canyon
Hike to the Lighthouse Trail (5.5 miles/2.5 hours)
This is definitely the go-to trail at Palo Duro Canyon. If you don’t do anything else, hike this trail. The beautiful Lighthouse rock formation is worth the entire drive there.
Hike the Rock Garden Trail (4.8 miles/2.5 hours)
This is another good option for wide views of the canyon.
Explore the Big Cave
See the Cowboy Dugout
Other hiking options: I read Juniper Cliffside/Riverside Trail and Comanche Trail were also nice hikes, but we didn’t have time to do these.
Relax at the campsite and have a nice campfire dinner
We made chicken quesadillas! Precooked chicken, cheese, and tortillas wrapped in foil and put on the fire – a perfect meal to end a long day of hiking.
Day 3: Heading home
Drive to Canyon and grab a donut at The Donut Shop
Grab a cup of coffee at Palace Coffee Company and browse through Burrowing Owl Secondhand Bookstore
Both of these are located by the Canyon courthouse in their cute city square.
Option: Amarillo is a 30 minute drive north of Canyon. We thought about driving to see the Cadillac Ranch, but we were ready to get on the road to head home.
That’s it!
I can imagine your experiences at Palo Duro Canyon might depend on the season and weather when you visit, but we had an amazing time despite the freezing temperatures. If you live in Texas and you’ve never explored this gem, I would highly recommend visiting on your next long weekend.
