Palo Duro Canyon Opens Below the High Plains

Palo Duro Canyon State Park spans Randall and Armstrong counties. TPWD calls Palo Duro the country's second-largest canyon. The park has more than 30 miles of trails for walking, biking, and horseback riding.

The entrance is 12 miles east of Canyon on Texas 217. It is outside Potter County, but the route makes sense from Amarillo. The drive crosses open High Plains before it drops into layered canyon walls.

The park can fill, so TPWD suggests day-use and camping reservations. Heat, burn bans, trail conditions, and other closures can change access. The active-alert page is the useful last check before the drive.