Palo Duro Canyon State Park
add photosIn terms of size and grandeur, Palo Duro Canyon is second in the United States onlyto Arizona’s Grand Canyon. Carved by the Prairie Dog Fork of the Red River, the canyon is 20 miles across at its widest point, 1,100 feet down at its deepest. Palo Duro means “hard wood,” referring to the junipers in the canyon. Rock formations here date back more than 900 million years, and it’s easy to find dinosaur fossils inThe First
3 Reviews for Palo Duro Canyon State Park
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"breathtaking! "
We visited here 4 days during November & December 2010. Palo Duro Canyon is the second largest canyon in the United States. The hiking is wonderful. Even my 2 year old did well. My kids enjoyed the small wooden playset where we picniced one day. The kids were thrilled by the swingset that had 6 swings. My kids thought it was great that there was a swing for each of them. Too bad on our return trip here in December one of the 6 swings was broken :(
We spent one night in the Good Night cabin on the canyon rim. It was an amazing experience. The cabin is rustic and comfortable. We were able to sit out at night and see more stars than I've ever seen before in my life. My 5 year old daughter and I got up early, went up on the rooftop and watched the unrise while snuggled up in our big blankets. We had coats on too... it was Dec afterall.
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"The Grand Canyon of Texas"
Palo Duro Canyon - WOW! What a treasure! This is a great place to enjoy some quality family time while using up LOTS of energy. From bike trails, walking trails and hiking trails the canyon provides families with lots of opportunities to get out and get active. With its numerous day camps and over-night camping spots you can eat a bite and then explore or stay overnight and see 'the stars at night are BIG and BRIGHT - Deep in the heart of TEXAS!'
The canyon has six water crossings - perfect for turning a day out into a mini-science lesson. Erosion happening live and in person! Also, a perfect way to get wet! Bring your worst clothes - the iron in the soil WILL leave a mark! But, it's so cool. The canyon also has caves (which should be carefully explored). Also, watch out for rain - flash floods can happen!
Activities in the canyon other than the trails include: TEXAS - the outdoor musical drama (during the summer season), horseback riding, and the learning center. If you get tickets to TEXAS be sure to get tickets for dinner served before the play. Dinner is served by The Big Texan. Also, the canyon hosts an annual hot balloon festival called 'Pirates of the Canyon'. This event is super-cool. Imagine watching 10+ hot air balloons lifting off from the canyon floor at dawn. B-A-UTIFUL!
2 families found this helpful
"Palo Duro Canyon"
Palo Duro Canyon is a wonderful family outdoor experience There are historic structures built in the 1930's by the Civillion Conservation Corps. The hiking and horseback riding are excellent. The "Big Texan Dinner" and the "TEXAS" play are spectacular. This is a very family friendly park and there is also a very abundant supply of wildlife on site. From turkeys to deer.
It is pretty hot and anyone thinking about hiking should bring plenty of water.
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