Palo Duro Canyon, the "Grand Canyon" of Texas

There is a haunting beauty about the West Texas plains that is best appreciated on the outside of your car and away from the highway, especially when there is a scattered herd of grazing whiteface Herefords in the distance and a hawk high in the sky riding a gentle breeze and a quiet that almost hurts your ears.

Nevertheless, if you need something dramatic to break the "monotony" of the prairie, you can find it right in the middle of the Panhandle. Just twenty-three miles southeast of Amarillo, Palo Duro Canyon surprises even those who know what to expect. There is no hint of its existence on the flat plain until you are almost upon it.

Unlike the Grand Canyon, which was carved by a large river as the land uplifted, the Palo Duro Canyon was sculpted by wind and the action of a small stream, the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River, from the geologically stable plain. The canyon is 120 miles long, as much as 20 miles wide, and has a maximum depth of more than 800 feet. Its elevation at the rim is 3,500 feet above sea level.

The eroded walls of the canyon reveal geological change over the years. The sedimentary rocks deposited in layers are a mélange of subdued color, from the deep red shales and white gypsum at the canyon floor, passing up the walls through the red, lavender, yellow and gray layers of sandstone and shale to the pinks and tans of the rimrock.

The best times to see the canyon are at the beginning and end of day when the slanting rays of the sun play on the multi-colored walls. Each degree of the sun's movement reveals a new picture of light, shadow and hue.

	The canyon is rich in wildlife and vegetation. Perennial springs and the stream that meanders through the valley make this an attractive oasis in a land that is often parched in summer. Stone age man hunted here. A number of plains Indian tribes subsequently occupied the canyon. Apache Indians lived in the canyon, but were soon replaced by Comanche and Kiowa tribes who resided in the area until 1874.

At that time, Col. Ranald Mackenzie was sent into the area to transport the Native Americans to Oklahoma. Col. Mackenzie and the 4th Cavalry were able to capture over 1,400 horses belonging to the tribe. After keeping some of the best horses for themselves, the remainder were taken to nearby Tule Canyon and destroyed. Cut off from their only means of transportation, the Native Americans soon surrendered.

Early Spanish Explorers are believed to have discovered the area and dubbed the canyon "Palo Duro" which is Spanish for "hard wood" in reference to the abundant mesquite and juniper trees. Coronado was likely the first European to see the canyon. He had led a sizable expedition north from Mexico into present-day New Mexico looking for the rumored Seven Cities of Cibola. Finding only poor pueblos there, he decided that the rich cities must be elsewhere. Following another rumor-monger, he passed through the Texas panhandle in 1541 searching for the fabled Quivira.

The canyon country was explored in l852 by a United States army expedition under Captain R. B. Marcy. In 1876, Charles Goodnight entered the canyon and opened the JA Ranch. At its peak, the ranch supported more than 100,000 head of cattle. Goodnight operated the ranch until 1890. Although only a fraction of its original size, the JA Ranch remains a working ranch today. Goodnight drove from the canyon the buffalo that had been missed by the voracious hide hunters and brought in 1,600 cattle. Goodnight's was the first ranch in the panhandle, and others followed quickly.

There is a replica of the dugout where Goodnight lived when he first moved to the canyon. It always remains cool in the summer and warm in the winter inside.

Palo Duro Canyon is now a state park. Palo Duro Canyon State Park opened on July 4, 1934 and contains nearly 30,000 acres of the scenic, northern most portion of the Palo Duro Canyon. The Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930's constructed most of the buildings and roads still in use by park staff and visitors. The Park receives approximately 500,000 visitors every year.

Visit the interpretive center near the park entrance, and stop at the nearby observation point for the best view of the canyon from the rim. Then drive the road that drops rather sharply down to the valley floor.

The road winds for eight miles through the valley, crossing the Prairie Dog Fork six times. The stream is shallow and easily crossed. Often, at three crossings, you can watch children in shorts and sundresses sitting in the water and splashing happily. You will be tempted to join them.

	Don't be deceived by the pleasant, languid little stream. In wet weather, stay away from the crossings. Flash floods are not uncommon during heavy rains.

There are picnic sites in the canyon, hiking trails and horses for rent. Campgrounds, some with electrical hook-ups, are scattered throughout the valley.

There are several cabins for rent in Palo Duro. The "Cow Camp" cabins are located on the floor of the canyon. Very rustic and cozy. There are bathrooms and showers within easy walking distance of the cabins.

	There are three deluxe cabins on the rim of the canyon, just inside the park. These cabins sleep four with a bathroom, shower, and linens. There is a wonderful view of the canyon, day or night. On cloudless nights, you can watch the moonlight as it rolls across the canyon floor. Spectacular.

The Trading Post Restaurant serves breakfast and lunch and stocks camping supplies and souvenirs. For views that cannot be seen from the road, book a place in a guided horseback tour at the Old West Stables.

There are many developed trails in the park, from very easy to very hard. You will see spectacular scenery on all of them. As you walk, or ride, these trails you will experience the magic that is Palo Duro Canyon.

Here are some of the trails you can travel in the park:

Givens, Spicer and Lowry Trail: This trail is approximately 3 miles long from the trail head (across from Hackberry campground) to the intersection of the Lighthouse Trail (plus 1.5 miles to the Lighthouse). The Little Fox Trail is a 2- mile loop off the main trail. This trail is moderately difficult with several steep climbs and a total distance of 11 miles. Mountain bikers, hiker and runners are allowed on this trail.

Paseo del Rio Trail: The Paseo del Rio or Riverwalk traces the Prairie Dog Town For, of the Red River beginning after Ware Crossing # 1. This is a 2-mile roundtrip hike with plenty of shade and an even path. This trail is considered easy and suitable for all levels. Mountain bikers, hikers and runners are allowed on this trail.

Lighthouse Trail: This trail leads to the Lighthouse (pedestal rock formed by erosion), which is 310 feet high and is a National Natural Landmark. This trail is considered moderate in difficulty with a total distance of almost 6 miles and may have heavy traffic during the peak season. There are educational panels along the trail. Equestrians, hiker, bikers and runners are allowed on this trail.

Sunflower Trail: This trail offers plenty of shade and a beautiful view of satin spar gypsum (0.25 miles from trailhead). Sunflower is located before Water Crossing #5 and is 2 miles roundtrip. It is considered easy; and suitable for all levels. Mountain bikers, hikers and runners are allowed on this trail.

Rojo Grande Trail: From the Lighthouse parking lot, this trail heads south for 1.5 miles and connects with the Sunflower trail. It is a moderate hike with plenty of shade. Mountain bikers, hikers and runners are allowed on this trail.

	Capital Peak Trail: This trail is not recommended for hikers and runners. The trailhead is located on Alternate Road 5 and is 4 miles total distance. There are three levels of difficulty for various biking skills (Green-Easy, Blue-Medium, Black-Hard). Horses are prohibited.

Juniper Riverside Trail: Located at Water Crossing #6, the Juniper Trail is the latest addition to the park trail system. It is 2 miles roundtrip and intersects the Sunflower Trail. This is the trail is shady with several easy climbs. Equestrian Trail: The trailhead is located at the turnaround area (South end of park). This trail runs parallel to Alternate Park Road 5 and intersects the Lighthouse Trail. It is 4 miles roundtrip. An open riding area is located south of the turnaround.

The park has a unique attraction that is as famous locally as the canyon itself. During the summer months, "Texas", a musical production, is staged each evening except Wednesday in the amphitheater on the canyon floor. Advance reservations are strongly advised. The setting is dramatic, and the music is stirring. Before the evening is over, you will be a Texan in spirit if not in fact.

As you drive from the canyon floor up to the rim, keep a sharp eye out, and you may see some of the longhorns that graze in the park. I saw four sleek animals who walked slowly, cropping the sparse grass, until they were almost next to the fence where I stood. One posed very nicely for me, his head up and his huge, symmetrical horns outlined against the evening sky. Then he dropped his head and wandered off. Nothing like his ancestors who had a reputation for being lean, mean and wild.

Now that you have had an exposure to the land and history of the region, finish off with a visit to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum at the town of Canyon, twelve miles due west of the park.

	The museum includes exhibits of the archaeology, ecology, natural history and geology of the panhandle. This Triceratops skull was found in the Panhandle. Historical displays at the museum include a hall of Texas history and special exhibits on the southern Plains Indians and ranching.

There are galleries of western art and fashion and an indoor pioneer village made of authentic structures that have been brought here from throughout the region. The adjacent museum annex houses a rather exceptional collection of antique wagons, buggies, cars and sleighs.

Just north of the annex is the T-Anchor Ranch Headquarters, the oldest known panhandle building. The log structure, built in 1877, and outbuildings were moved here from their original West Texas location.

Palo Duro Canyon is a very mystical place, a place where you can leave life behind, relax, and unwind. A place where history calls out and becomes alive, where real Indians once roamed and real Cowboys once worked cattle. A place where Texas seems so much like, well, the REAL Texas.

For a PDF format map of Palo Duro Canyon State Park, click here

PALO DURO CANYON UPDATES

23 October 2008--

The views from inside Palo Duro Canyon State Park will remain grand thanks to the addition of a 2,912-acre property known as Fortress Cliffs Ranch. The tract has been purchased by a coalition that includes The Trust for Public Land (TPL) and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), protecting almost six miles of scenic cliffs along the park’s northeastern edge.

The Fortress Cliffs Ranch (formerly Tub Springs Ranch) was put up for sale more than a year ago, raising concerns that the highly visible bluff could be impacted by houses or other development. John Watson, CEO of ranch broker Orvis/Cushman & Wakefield, wanted to find a stewardship buyer, so he contacted conservation groups, including TPL. A TPL representative contacted TPWD, and the two agencies began exploring ways to acquire the land. TPL ultimately purchased the property and transferred it to TPWD.

A recent independent appraisal valued the property at $5.22 million, which the partners were able to pay by tapping various sources. TPWD provided $1.86 million from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, which was matched by a private donation from an anonymous donor to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. Another $1.5 million was appropriated by the Texas Legislature in a rider specifying the funds should be used to add land to Palo Duro Canyon State Park.

"The rare chance to protect six miles of cliffs overlooking the ‘Grand Canyon of Texas,’ to keep that bluff looking the way the first Texans saw it-this is unparalleled," said Carter Smith, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department executive director. "Palo Duro Canyon may not be near our state’s biggest cities, but I know all Texans can appreciate the significance of this acquisition for our park system. It’s for everyone alive today, and for generations to come."

The Fortress Cliffs property is located about 15 miles southeast of Amarillo in Randall and Armstrong Counties, sharing seven miles of boundary with the state park. The acquisition will protect ecologically significant break, cliff face and rim rock habitat, as well as High Plains shortgrass prairie, and transitional brush and slope habitats, all of which are important for the wildlife and ecology of the region. After the acquisition, the park will comprise 29,187 acres, with the new tract making up almost 10 percent of the total.

"The Palo Duro Canyon embodies Texas’ sense of place and spirit like few other areas in the state," said Nan McRaven, Texas State director for The Trust for Public Land. "We’re honored to help protect the unique views here and preserve an iconic symbol of the American west for the public to continue to enjoy."

The previous owners of Fortress Cliffs Ranch, Kim and Brenda Gaynor, spent many hours and invested a substantial sum of money on the ranch to clear brush species, stimulate grass and forbs production and enhance the wildlife habitat. The range condition has improved dramatically through a less intensive cattle grazing management program and an extremely wet year in 2007.

When TPW Commissioner Mark Bivins of Amarillo and other local leaders became aware of the possibility that the ranch would be developed they visited the ranch to meet with the Gaynors, accompanied by various partner representatives.

"We had known the ranch was on the market for some time and we were informed that the potential of it being sold to a developer was getting stronger and stronger," Bivins said. "My hat’s off to The Trust for Public Land, the Parks and Wildlife staff, and to the brokerage Orvis/Cushman & Wakefield-they managed to pull off a daunting and complicated conservation achievement."

"This acquisition helps prevent development from disturbing the natural beauty in and around the canyon," said Wales H. Madden, Jr., longtime Amarillo civic leader and past president of the Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation. "Neighboring development is compromising views of certain parts of the rim. We’re resting easier knowing that this portion of the viewshed is safe."

As a result of the Gaynor’s stewardship, wildlife diversity and abundance on the ranch are excellent, including populations of blue quail, bobwhite quail, Rio Grande turkey, bobcat, mule deer, white-tailed deer, coyote, roadrunners, skunks, rabbits and songbirds.

The property includes a three-acre lake on the tract’s east side, recently deepened for livestock watering and stocked with bass. Tub Springs is an intermittent natural spring located in the canyon rim, draining to the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River.

The steep margins of the Fortress Cliffs consist of bright, banded layers of orange, red, brown, yellow, and white rocks. Fossils of long-extinct animals and plants have been found embedded in the rock layers. Adding to the site’s scenic grandeur are numerous pinnacles, buttes, and mesas.

A thorough cultural resource review needs to be completed on the property. A significant number of archeological sites have been recorded in and around Palo Duro Canyon, including the remains of human habitations throughout the past 12,000 years. Five general culture periods are recognized for the region, all with distinctive human cultural aspects, such as large game kill sites, butchering locales and caches.

The property will eventually be accessible to the public for recreational use such as hiking, although it’s too early to say what might be possible and when. The park staff will develop a plan proposing management and use of the tract, integrating it into existing resource management and public use plans. The planning process will take months, and will involve input from the public and various stakeholders.