How About a Room With A Show? The Best Way To Experience Palo Duro Canyon

Sometimes the best getaways are right in our own back yard. Here in Amarillo we got one of the crown jewels of the Texas State Parks system with Palo Duro Canyon, and with a little planning and a few clicks of the mouse you can enjoy this magical place without breaking the bank.

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If you happen to be new to Amarillo, The Panhandle or Texas in general or are just passin' thru...  well first let's just say Howdy! Glad you're here! Palo Duro Canyon in a nutshell is an 120 Mile canyon system that was carved by the Prarie Dog Town Fork of the Red River into the Texas Caprock that at some places is up to 20 miles wide. It's the second biggest canyon system in the country next to the Grand Canyon and very accessible by car, bike, horseback, mule or just good ol' trail walking. If you happen to be a stargazer, the park offers clear skies and great views on most nights.

There's plenty to explore...

Big clear skies and great views are one thing but the challenge of the park are the 16 different trails that offer different skill and difficulty levels for those starting out or seasoned hikers and mountain bikers. Bring plenty of water because the thermometer can easily reach above 100 degrees in the summer.

Come for the Glamping...

There are plenty of great campsites you can set up a tent or bring your RV but for the best experience, Glamping is the way to go. for the uninitiated glamping is a play on glamour and camping and that exactly what you get with these permanent tent setups. This isn't exactly "roughing it"

Yep, they're air conditioned too and on a hot Texas summer night, you can't beat that. The price isn't that bad for what you get, 2 adults overnight will run you about 300 bucks. Now because you're glamping though showers aren't included (Come on, we're roughing it here! There are showers nearby). What's great about the Palo Duro Glamping sites is they are right inside the park and actually along a few of the trails. You can get current rates and make your reservation here. There are other sites worth checking out too. Hurry, they do fill fast.

Stay for the Show

While you're here, not that far down the path happens to be the Pioneer Amphitheater, home of the Texas Outdoor Musical which runs Tuesdays through Sundays in the summer and is back after a Covid-19 hiatus. If you get there early enough before the show you can get yourself a little taste of Texas barbecue. There's always a great fireworks show afterwards to enjoy too. Tickets for the show and the meal can be found here.

Give Palo Duro Canyon a look for that next vacation! It's a quick ride east of Canyon and worlds away from the hustle and bustle. While you're out there you might see a few other critters there too.