Her impressive red cliffs stagger upward into the blue Texas sky with majesty and mystery. Her canyon walls are layered meticulously, painted in red and blue hues of landscape beauty. Carved intricately by Mother Nature and Father Time, Palo Duro Canyon, located southeast of Amarillo, Texas is a gorgeous landmark. Rich in exquisite natural wonders, Palo Duro Canyon speaks to the soul; she is a landscape of intrigue. If you stop to digest her features of geological serenity, listen closely and you will hear her speak in the gentle breeze, whispering of her longtime geological and historical journeys.

She has been called “The Grand Canyon of Texas” although her Spanish name of Palo Duro is interpreted as “hard stick”. The birth of her beauty started less than a million years ago, when the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River started eroding the eastern edge of the “Staked Plains,” otherwise known as the Llano Estacado, one of the largest mesas in New Mexico and northwestern Texas. As time, water, and erosion worked in unison, the beauty of Palo Duro Canyon was created with the artistic palette and brushes of loveliness: pastel reds, pinks, blues, and purples blended on mesas, carved canyon walls, and buttes, giving her a uniqueness all her own.

And if you stand on any overlook, you hear her beckon to your curiosity as an explorer. You want to see and explore all that lies ahead on the horizon; however, you realize it might take many lifetimes to explore her vastness and to understand her creation. For example, it is believed that it has only been in the last 100,000 years that most of the erosion creating her has happened. Heavier rainfall and periods of glaciation are thought to have shaped Palo Duro Canyon more aggressively during this time. Another interesting fact is it is believed her depth, perhaps 1000 feet in some locations, was reached approximately 10,000 years ago. Because of reduced water flow in the streams and tributaries that formed her, Palo Duro is not eroding greatly at the present time.

Ahhhh, but Palo Duro speaks of a rich history. She has a history of peace, a history of battles, a history of accomplishments, a history of sadness, and a history of joys. If you listen to her tales, murmuring in the wind, you will feel the emotions of which she speaks. When she delights in the first Native Americans to inhabit her lands 10,000 to 15,000 years ago, you feel her glee as you imagine young children playing games, laughing with delight within her canyon walls.

When she speaks of curiosity about the Coronado expedition, the Spanish exploring her lands as charted in 1541, you feel her intrigue with the introduction of new ways, new language, and new dreams. You feel her sadness when life became bitter within her canyon walls when raging conflicts between Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie and the Comanche and Kiowa resulted in the Battle of Palo Duro Canyon on September 28, 1874. You feel her tears with the struggles of a way of life ending forever.

As the wind roars in and out of the valleys of the rock structures, you hear Palo Duro proudly speak of the accomplishments of the CCC, Civilian Conservation Corps, from 1933 to 1937. The CCC groups manually built roads to make Palo Duro Canyon more accessible to travelers; they built bridges, picnic areas, cabins, and the Coronado Lodge interpretive center. Today, there are many reminders of their hard work and determination to help preserve and maintain the beauty of the canyon by inviting all to enjoy her enchantment. 

In 1934, she was purchased by the State of Texas and named Palo Duro State Park. Indicative of her unsurpassed beauty of landmark grandeur, in 1976 she was declared by the National Park Service a National Natural Landmark. To see this gorgeous natural canyon, travel south on Interstate 27 from Amarillo until you reach State Highway 217. Travel east on State Highway 217 for approximately eight miles until you reach Palo Duro. The town of Canyon is also located twelve miles to the west of Palo Duro State Park.

Palo Duro is a remarkable place to visit! She boasts activities for all ranges in age and abilities. Trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding are easily accessible for exploring the red rock mesas and rock structures. If unable to physically explore one of these activities, the road through the canyon gives picturesque views of her exquisiteness. In the summertime, there are performances of the TEXAS Outdoor Musical. For more information, and tickets, see the TEXAS Outdoor Musical website. Also, Palo Duro State Park charges an entrance fee at the gate. For more information, contact PaloDuroCanyonSP@tpwd.texas.gov or call (806) 488-2227.

If you like hiking and exploring, remember to take plenty of water and good hiking shoes. If you like, explore one of her natural caves as we did. You may hear Palo Duro beckon you to see her splendid carved cave with a challenging uphill climb involving slippery sliding red rocks and gravel. If you slip a little during the climb, you may even imagine you hear her giggle softly. Ahhhh, but when you make it to the mouth of the cave, you may hear her proudly exclaim, “You DID IT!” (Or was the giggling and exclamation from other visitors watching from below? Feeling your pain and your gain??)



From our house to yours, may all your travels entail beauty and grandeur, may you experience boundless wonder as you explore these great lands, and may all your uphill climbs be fall free! And if you happen to slip, hopefully, others will not be witness to your small mishap. Blessings to you and yours!