Amarillo, Palo Duro Canyon, Caprock Canyons Road Trip

I’ve had a strong desire to do a road trip to the Panhandle region of Texas ever since I heard about Palo Duro Canyon. In case you haven’t heard, Texas is home to the second-largest canyon system in the United States. That’s right, Palo Duro Canyon State Park is where you will find this big, beautiful canyon and lots of great hiking trails.

While Palo Duro is not as big as the Grand Canyon, it is impressive to see, and it’s known as the “Grand Canyon of Texas.” The canyon measures around 800 feet at its deepest point. There are more than 30 miles of hiking and biking trails, along with horseback riding, birdwatching, camping and glamping, and stargazing.

One thing to be aware of, though, is that trail closures happen, sometimes with little advance information. No worries, because there is another beautiful state park nearby. Caprock Canyons is another marvelous location in the Texas panhandle for hiking, bilking, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, fishing, kayaking, and swimming at Lake Theo. And you’ll be doing all this with some big, burly bison roaming around the park. Yes, free-roaming bison live in Caprock Canyons State Park.

Here’s my trip write-up for my 5-day road trip to the Texas Panhandle, visiting Amarillo, Palo Duro Canyon, and Caprock Canyons.

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Day 1 Drive to Amarillo

On day one, I had a long drive ahead—about 7.5 hours without stops, according to Google Maps—and I started a little later than I initially planned. But I was trying to avoid the worst of a rainstorm forecast to hit the Amarillo area for most of the day. It looked advantageous to delay my arrival in Amarillo until the early evening hours, according to the number of raindrops on my weather app.

Map of New Braunfels to Amarillo Drive

 

I drove from New Braunfels and headed west across the northside of San Antonio, then headed northwest. The highlight of the first half of the trip was the wildflower fields. First, around Kerrville, the sea of yellow and orange blooms was absolutely gorgeous! Then, further north, the bluebonnets were blooming in large swaths along the roadside. March and April in Central Texas are prime viewing months for Texas bluebonnets and other wildflowers too.

The highlight of the second half of driving to Amarillo was that I didn’t hydroplane and ended up in a ditch on Highway 27, south of Amarillo. I couldn’t use cruise control since it was raining, and I drove about 10 miles below the speed limit because I was just a little terrified of hydroplaning. Having experienced the phenomenon once before in South Louisiana, I didn’t care to relive that sort of heart pumping moment again. Once is plenty for that type of life experience. Although I didn’t enjoy driving in the pouring rain, I did feel grateful for the much-needed precipitation in drought-stricken Texas.

Affordable Hotel in Amarillo

I booked a cheap hotel room at Baymont by Wyndham Amarillo East because they had rather good reviews and the pictures looked alright, with newly upgraded rooms.

My room was on the second floor, and there weren’t any elevators, but that didn’t bother me a bit. I needed to move around and get at least a little bit of exercise after sitting on my tush in the car all day. Up and down the stairs, I unloaded my car and then organized the basics before diving into my pre-planned dinner of sardines, zucchini-tomato-radish salad, and a beer. You can save a lot of money on road trips if you bring your own food.

I crashed early because driving exhausts me, as if I’ve been doing manual labor all day rather than simply sitting on my butt for hours and hours.

In the morning, there was a warm breakfast and coffee. Afterwards, I packed up my car and planned out my day in Amarillo.

 

Day 2 Amarillo and Palo Duro Canyon

Although the main inspiration for my Panhandle Texas road trip was to go hiking in Palo Duro Canyon, I knew the trails would be closed for a day or two (or more) due to the rain, so I planned to spend a day in Amarillo. The weather was sunny but a little chilly, so I’m glad I packed a windbreaker jacket.

Cadillac Ranch

The first stop in Amarillo was the Cadillac Ranch. I had seen photos of this art installation and always wanted to visit, but it was always way, way out of my way. Now, I finally got to see those fins and excessive graffiti. The “ranch” was turned into a lake due to the previous day’s rain—almost 4 inches!

If you visit the Cadillac Ranch, you can unleash your inner graffiti artist and do some impromptu spray painting. Also, there was a vendor setup with jewelry made from the chunks of paint that inevitably fall from the Cadillac canvasses, so you can buy a little memento of your visit.

 

Big Texan

Next, I visited the Big Texan Steak Ranch, home of the FREE 72 oz steak challenge. The deal is that you have to eat ALL the food included in the challenge in less than one hour. You have to eat shrimp cocktail, baked potato, salad, dinner roll, butter, and the 72 oz steak. And you’ll sit at the special table in front of the grilling station, in the middle of the restaurant, so everyone can watch you stuff your face.

 

Me? No, I did not attempt to eat the 72 oz steak. Instead, I ordered fried shrimp with a baked potato, a salad with Italian dressing, and a glass of water with no ice. The salad was yummy, as was the baked potato with all the fixings, but the shrimp (definitely NOT Texas Gulf shrimp) looked a lot better than they tasted.

There is a lesson here. When dining in a steakhouse, famous for its big-ass steaks, it’s best to order meat rather than seafood. Next time, I’ll try the ribs. The staff at the Big Texan Steakhouse were all very friendly, so overall it was a good experience, and I do recommend it.

Even if you don’t want to have a meal, they do have a HUGE gift shop if you are in the mood for souvenir shopping in Amarillo.

 

Texas Air and Space Museum

Next stop, I headed to the Texas Air and Space Museum to marvel at all things aeronautics and chat with the friendly staff. When I left a donation, they kindly gave me one of those little helicopter toys for kids (yes, I did have fun playing with it), and I’m glad they seemed to grasp that, despite my age, I am really just a kid at heart.

I rather enjoy airplane museums. Having visited the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, AZ, and the North Atlantic Aviation Museum in Gander, Newfoundland, I find these museums interesting, educational, and just plain fun to visit. And you get to go inside some of the aircraft—pretty cool!

 

More Things to Do in Amarillo

I did plan to see more attractions in Amarillo, but my time management skills didn’t cooperate. Now I have a good excuse to visit Amarillo again.

Here are a few more things to do in Amarillo:

• Amarillo Botanical Gardens
• Kwahadi Museum of the American Indian
• American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame and Museum
• Jack Sisemore RV Museum
• Bill’s Backyard Classics Vintage Auto Museum
• Amarillo Museum of Art

Not-So-Cheap Hotel in Canyon Texas

Since my trip was planned around hiking in Palo Duro Canyon, I decided to book a hotel closer to the park for three nights, and I found the Holiday Inn Express in Canyon, about 15 minutes’ drive to the park. But my room cost quite a bit more than the one I booked in Amarillo. Convenience has its price.

The Holiday Inn Express does have a delicious warm breakfast with bacon and/or sausage, yummy biscuits, fresh fruit, cereal, make-it-yourself waffles, toast, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, and more. Plus coffee, tea, juice, and water.

If you do decide to book a room at Holiday Inn Express, I recommend getting a room on the third floor (there is an elevator). While staying in a second-floor room, I could hear noise from the room above me, so next time I’ll book a room on the top floor. The room was newly renovated with a modern look and lots of space for clothes and luggage. It had a mini-fridge, microwave, and coffeemaker. And I slept great :)

 

Scenic Drive in Palo Duro Canyon

While unloading my car I talked with another hotel guest who told me Palo Duro was well worth a visit even though the trails were closed. It’s only a 15-minute drive to Palo Duro from the town of Canyon so I hopped back in my car and got to the canyon at around 5 pm.

It only takes around 30 minutes to drive around the whole park without any stops. Of course I did stop to take in the views and wander around the vicinity of the Pioneer Amphitheater, which is only open in summer, when you can attend the TEXAS Outdoor Musical and Shakespeare in the Canyon performances.

The views at Palo Duro Canyon are spectacular!

 

Palo Duro Canyon Fees and Day Pass

There is a day-use fee to enter the park; as of this writing, it is $8 per vehicle. Instead of paying the daily fee, I opted to purchase a Texas State Parks Pass for $70 plus tax. This is a good deal if you plan on making numerous visits to state parks in Texas. The pass is valid for one year.

It’s advisable to reserve a day pass online or by calling the customer service center to reserve by phone, up to one month before your visit. If the park reaches maximum capacity and you don’t have a pass, you won’t be allowed entry to the park. If you have a Texas State Parks Pass, you should still reserve a day pass to guarantee entry.

 

Day 3 Caprock Canyons State Park

The hotel in Amarillo was MUCH cheaper than the newly renovated Holiday Inn Express in Canyon. But I was now closer to Palo Duro Canyon. But the trails were all closed. But the hotel is also closer to Caprock Canyons, and all of the trails were open, YAY!

While talking with one of the staff at breakfast, she mentioned the trails at Caprock Canyons should be open. I took a quick look on my phone and decided to drive to Caprock Canyons State Park, about 1 hour 15 minutes’ drive from Canyon.

I’m so happy I decided to visit Caprock Canyons! The place is full of scenic drives, hiking, prairie dogs, birdwatching, and free-roaming bison!

 

Imagine, if you will, that you are hiking along, and then someone tells you that around the next bend there’s a big bull bison, grazing about 15 feet from the trail. Yup, there he was, a little further than 15 feet away (thankfully, because you are supposed to stay at least 50 yards away from them). I took a couple of quick photos with my Canon Powershot SX740 camera (the best little travel camera I have ever owned) and continued on the trail, leaving Mr. Bison to enjoy his buffet lunch.

 

Caprock Canyons wowed me with their gorgeous red rocks and abundant wildlife. This is one amazing Texas state park that is totally worth the effort to go and spend a day, at least. Next time, I’ll plan on spending a few days there.

 

Day 4 Palo Duro Canyon Hiking

Before going to hike at Palo Duro Canyon, it’s a good idea to check the trail conditions via their Facebook page or the state park’s website. The morning of day four on my road trip, I checked the status, and the trails were still closed, but I decided to drive to the park anyways and get a few photos with the morning light.

While in line waiting to check in at the gate, I noticed a staff member removing the “All Trails Closed” sign at the entrance. Indeed, they assessed the trails and decided to open all of them again. Woohoo! I headed straight for the Lighthouse Trail parking area.

Lighthouse Trail Hike

The Lighthouse Trail is the ONE trail I most wanted to hike at Palo Duro. This out-and-back mostly flat trail is rated as moderate, and it’s only about 5.5 miles round trip. There’s a steep incline for the last eighth of a mile or so, but then it’s flat at the base of the lighthouse formations.

There were only four other cars in the parking lot when I arrived. Starting out on the trail, I met Liz and Chris who were visiting from the Houston area, and we hiked together for a while. Further along the trail, I met hikers Bill and Gary, and we chatted and walked together for part of the trail.

 

During warmer days, it’s best to hike the trail early in the morning because there is little shade along the way, and it gets very hot on sunny days, even in the spring.

At the lighthouse rock formations, I met up with Liz, Chris, Bill, and Gary, and we all enjoyed a rest and some shade near the lighthouse.

 

I started hiking back to the trailhead at around 1:00 pm, and I was thankful that I brought lots of water with me. It was hot out, and I don’t enjoy hiking in hot weather. Although there isn’t much shade along the trail, there are a couple of primitive wooden shelters.

Big Cave

After hiking the Lighthouse Trail, I drove to the Big Cave and walked up the very short but steep, rocky trail to the cave. It was nice and cool inside, a great spot to rest for a moment.

 

Rock Garden

Spoiler alert: I didn’t hike the whole Rock Garden Trail. By the time I arrived at the trailhead, it was mid-afternoon, and the temperature reading was almost 100 degrees F (38 Celsius). Since the hike is 5 miles and rated as difficult, this was a no-go for me on this trip.

 

I did walk a little way up the trail to get an idea of the terrain, but I’m not a hot-weather hiker, so I headed back to the car and then checked out some of the cabins, campgrounds, and picnic stops in the park.

Before I booked my hotel rooms, I checked to see if I could get a cabin in the park, but they were all booked already. If you do want to stay in one of the cabins, be sure to make your reservation early. I couldn’t do that because my trip was kind of last-minute, one of those spontaneous I-should-do-a-road-trip-next-week kind of things. Another option is to camp in a tent or RV.

 

More Hiking Trails at Palo Duro Canyon

There are over 30 miles of hiking trails at Palo Duro Canyon, so there’s probably one that’s just right for you. Make sure you are prepared with the ten essentials for hiking, and especially in hot weather, it’s best to start your hike in the cooler morning hours. Bring plenty of water, snacks, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and appropriate hiking footwear.

Here are a few of the easy and moderate trails at Palo Duro.

Easy Hikes at Palo Duro Canyon

• Cottonwood Trail: 2.8 miles roundtrip but it also connects with other trail if you want to do a longer hike.
• Kiowa Trail: 2.8 miles round trip with views of Triassic Peak, Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River, and one of the original CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) bridges.
• Paseo Del Rio Trail: 2 miles round trip takes you by the river where you can check out Cowboy Dugout for a glimpse back to 1880s cowboy life.
• Sunflower Trail: 2.4 miles round trip hike with some shade and views of red sandstone layered with white gypsum.

Moderate Hikes at Palo Duro Canyon

• Juniper Riverside Trail: 5.6 miles round trip on a flat trail along the river.
• Rojo Grande Trail: 2.4 miles round trip trail at the bottom of the canyon with some shade.
• Lighthouse Trail: 5.6 miles round trip trail to the lighthouse rock formation. I mentioned this one above, but just in case you skipped past that part, I thought I’d mention it again. The Lighthouse Trail is by far the most popular hike in Palo Duro Canyon State Park.

Day 5 Drive from Canyon to New Braunfels

After spending three days in the Panhandle region of Texas, I packed up my car and made the long drive back to New Braunfels. With fair weather for the entire day, it was an easy drive. Again, I enjoyed the vast swaths of wildflowers, especially near Kerrville.

It took me 8 hours to drive from Canyon to New Braunfels, with two pit stops along the way for gas and bathroom breaks. I brought road trip foods with me, so I didn’t need to stop and get food.

My legs and glutes reminded me that I had done some decent hiking, and it felt great to spend a couple of days outdoors, away from my apartment and my computer.

Summary

A few days is enough to see a lot of attractions in the Texas Panhandle region, and I highly recommend it. Although it may seem that two days of driving for only three days of hiking and exploring is too much driving, you won’t regret it. I found it totally worth it! Yes, it is a lot of driving time, but I enjoyed the entire journey (except for driving in the pouring rain). Amarillo, Palo Duro Canyon, and Caprock Canyons all offer unique experiences that you won’t find elsewhere in Texas. Don’t miss out!

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