The painter Georgia O’Keeffe was so moved by the beauty of the Palo Duro Canyon she wrote: “It is a burning, seething cauldron, filled with dramatic light and color.”
The 120-mile-long canyon is a dramatic landscape of deep red sedimentary rocks against red, yellow, and almost lavender layers of sandstone and gentle pink shale. Weathered by wind, rain, and erosion, the rocks form dramatic spires and pinnacles. The Lighthouse, a rock formation in the canyon, is the most photographed of those geological creations. You can drive to the bottom of the canyon or you can hike, bike, or horseback your way around. The park has organized explorations that include informational hikes and sunset trail walks.
No trip to Palo Duro Canyon is complete without taking in a performance of the musical Texas. The show takes place Tuesdays through Sundays from June through August in the Pioneer Amphitheater, a 1,742-seat venue carved out of the hillside. Before the show, you can enjoy dinner at The Big Texan Steak Ranch (ask for an extra helping of cheese potato casserole). After the curtain goes down, head to the new Starlight Canyon Bed and Breakfast, an upscale bed-and-breakfast just 15 minutes north of the canyon. The Aspen room has an oversize wood-burning fireplace and a window with a view of the property’s five acres studded with huge cottonwood trees.
Distance From Dallas: 395 Miles // 6 Hours 29 Minutes
