Palo Duro Canyon: Texas' Own "Grand Canyon"
On the way to northern New Mexico via Amarillo, this not-so-small town has everything you need: supermarkets, banks, office buildings, and hotels, making it a perfect place to stop and rest. Just 30 minutes from downtown, you'll find a Texas state park. đKnown as the "Grand Canyon of Texas," this state park is quite the sight to behold.đ I've visited several canyon national parks, including Zion, the Grand Canyon, and the areas around Sedona. â In terms of color (think colorful rock formations), Palo Duro Canyon doesn't quite match up to those national parks. If you're looking to capture epic aerial photos, the national parks are still the way to go. â However, this state park has its own unique advantages and characteristics: The colorful rock formations are clearly visible, making for a very distinctive landscape. There's plenty of time to explore, with well-developed facilities in the surrounding cities, so you don't have to rush to leave the park. When you enter, you're on the plateau at the top of the canyon, where there are many trails to choose from. The most famous one leads from the top to the bottom of the canyon and then back up to the iconic "Lighthouse" rock formation. It's easier to get up close and personal with the canyon landscape here compared to the national parks. You can walk down to the riverbed at the bottom of the valley, see the surrounding streams, and get a close look at the canyon's vegetation. Unlike the barren landscapes of some national parks, Palo Duro Canyon has a lot of shrubs, succulents, cacti, and grasslands, even in the dead of winter, which makes it much more lush than the Arizona parks. â¤ď¸Palo Duro Canyon State Park â¤ď¸11450 State Hwy Park Rd 5, Canyon, TX 79015 During holidays, I recommend reserving a day pass online, which is also included in the TX State Park Pass. #TexasTravel #Travel #WeekendGetaway #DallasLife
