Palo Duro Canyon

[brianlg31]

TBH my daughter and boyfriend are leaving Sunday headed to Vail Co. She wants to stop in Amarillo and then see Palo Duro Canyon Monday morning, not necessarily spending a lot of time there but want to see it.

Any advise for her to make the best of a short visit? I have never been so I have nothing. Thanks

[Shane]

She should stay in Canyon instead of Amarillo if she's in a hurry. She'd be a little closer to the park from Canyon. Other than that, just go in and spend whatever time she has to see whatever she can see. Doesn't sound like she'll have time for hiking and such. But a drive in and out will still be cool if she's never seen it before.

[brianlg31]

Knowing her she will take sometime for a good hike. In 24 years I think the best gift we ever gave her was a State and National park yearly pass

[Shane]

If she has time to hike to the Lighthouse, tell her to do that. It's the iconic spot in Palo Duro.

[Shane]

http://www.texashiking.com/Locations/ShowLocation.aspx?LocationID=1874

[Nate Riley]

There are a number of relatively short hikes. She can get a couple (or more in) in a few hours. We use the All Trails app. The aforementioned Lighthouse Trail is good. Others we enjoy (especially my girls) are the Rock Garden, Givens, Spicer & Lowery Trail and the short hike to the Caves (I think that's the Juniper trail).

https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/texas/palo-duro-canyon-state-park

[999]

Worth the drive through at least.

I second the lighthouse view, can’t be seen from the road. May be hot this time of year so do it early morning and bring a lot of water. Maybe 5 min round trip hike.

[Eat’em Up]

Check on reservations. We couldn’t get in back in October not sure if things have changed with the easing of restrictions.

[ThisLadyHunts]

If your daughter has time (perhaps on the way back?), I highly encourage a visit to the Charles and Mary Ann Goodnight Ranch Historic Site in Goodnight, Tx. It’s a wonderful adjunct to a visit of the Palo Dura Canyon.

Here’s an interesting fact I gleaned when I toured the ranch several years ago: It was actually Mary Ann whose idea it was to raise a herd of buffalo for the purpose of preservation. Col. Goodnight, a formidable man by all accounts, did it all for her. She must have been a helluva woman, which lends even more credence to the adage that a strong woman will make a good man great.

Pic of the hubby and me in front of the home Goodnight designed and built:

[aggie182]

We had reservations at Palo Duro Canyon for last weekend. The park called us and said we could still come, but with the exception of the campsites, the park was mostly all closed. No trails open, a good portion of the park road was closed or partially blocked/flooded and there were active mud and rock slides.

Might be worth calling to see if they are over that mess. We opted to reroute to Caprock Canyon, which was a great time for the wife, kids, and I.

[aggie182]

We had reservations at Palo Duro Canyon for last weekend. The park called us and said we could still come, but with the exception of the campsites, the park was mostly all closed. No trails open, a good portion of the park road was closed or partially blocked/flooded and there were active mud and rock slides.

Might be worth calling to see if they are over that mess. We opted to reroute to Caprock Canyon, which was a great time for the wife, kids, and I.

Just checked their facebook page:

Park update:
Trails and roadway are open!
Phones are back in order!

Scratch what I said earlier, unless more rain comes!

[Oleman]

Drove thru when we could not see everything due to high water. What we seen was worth the drive thru.

[Flint knapper]

They have a good museum at Canyon. Lots of cool stuff!

[Hot4huntin]

After hiking stop at The Trading Post for rolled ice cream and a great burger!

[BarBBar]

Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum has a website you can preview. The Goodnight House is also worth a visit. You can stand in the dining room where Quanah Parker had dinner with the Goodnights. The tour guide said they had to haul water to the house. Goodnight also established Goodnight College and tried to domesticate buffalo.

If you hike the Lighthouse Trail, take all the water you can carry and take lots of photos. You will see aoudad rams on the cliffs.