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Old 08-14-2004, 06:15 PM   #1
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Palo Duro Canyon

Returning from the vintage rally in Colorado we stopped for a couple of days at Palo Duro State Park near Amarillo. It's the second largest canyon in the USA. Campsites are at the bottom of the canyon so you get nice views all around. Rented mountain bikes and had a good time. There's also a long running play about the history of Texas. I didn't feel like going to succumbed to spousal pressure and it was actually very good. We stayed at the Sagebrush campsite which is not as treed but has better views than some of the sites lower in the canyon. Water & electric only, must use dump station. Saw wild turkeys, deer, scorpions and dung beetles.
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Old 08-14-2004, 06:26 PM   #2
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Sounds like a good stopover when going through on I40.
It was good seeing you guys at Colorado Springs.
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Old 08-14-2004, 08:05 PM   #3
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Plan on a return trip...

one day. We got the chance to make a day trip to the Palo Duro Canyon last September on our trek out to Phoenix. We defintely plan on making the trip back. Also had fun in Amarillo itself. There is a fascinating museum in Canyon, TX. Just outside of Amarillo. IIRC it is on the edge of a college campus. But don't remember which one. What really amazed me about the canyon, other than it's natural beauty, was the fact that the main lodge and roads were built back in the 30's by the CCC using only manual labor. It is really amazing to see something like that and realize it is still in existence 70 some years later.

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Old 08-15-2004, 12:16 AM   #4
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I live 85 miles South of Palo Duro Canyon.
The Museum is on the campus of West Texas (State) A&M University. It is the largest History of Texas Museum in Texas. Second is the Bullock Museum in Austin.
The live play Texas, in the Palo Duro Amphitheater is worth the money....I have attended it several times over the years, and have known several cast members.
A little further South is Caprock Canyons State Park, another little known jewel near the towns of Turkey (home of Bob Wills) and Quitaque (pronounced Kitty-quay).
Parts of Caprock Canyons have the red rock features that would make you believe you might be in Southeast Utah.
The Texas Panhandle is not devoid of scenery or culture, it just looks that way from I-40 and I-27. The natives know where to go for beauty and culture in the area surrounding Amarillo and Lubbock.
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Old 08-15-2004, 07:51 AM   #5
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I used to hunt coyotes in the area around the canyon during the 50's. But, I don't remember seeing any Airstreams!

One of the places I would like to visit, not too far from this area, is Adobe Walls. When I lived in Lubbock I didn't know the story so didn't make the trek. OK, now I have to tell part of the story.

Billy Dixon, Bat Masterson and a few other buffalo hunters (thirty or so) were attacked by a larger force (proported to be around 700) of Indians while at an outpost called Adobe Walls. To make a long story short, Dixon, using a borrowed buffalo rifle, shot one of the Indians from his horse at a measured distance of 1538 yards and the Indians decided to breakoff the engagement.

One of these days someone in Hollywood will make the story famous, maybe they will bring Airstreams for the actors!

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Old 08-15-2004, 07:58 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tin Hut
Returning from the vintage rally in Colorado we stopped for a couple of days at Palo Duro State Park near Amarillo. It's the second largest canyon in the USA.
Yeah, they like to repeat that a lot about its size. Problem is that "size" is a term with several meanings. Is it the depth/width of the canyon that's the largest? Or just its length? And if it's the lenth, is that only because we measure the Grand Canyon by the border of the national park? Or would it be bigger if we included all of the canyon network that extends hundreds of miles beyond the Grand Canyon?

I just don't like being mislead by the advertising campaign in Texas after having spent a good deal of time in the broader canyon country of southern Utah and northern Arizona. (And I say this as a person who spent most of his life in Texas!)


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Old 08-15-2004, 09:35 AM   #7
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I've had that same size discussion with my wife.

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Originally Posted by eubank
Yeah, they like to repeat that a lot about its size. Problem is that "size" is a term with several meanings. Is it the depth/width of the canyon that's the largest? Or just its length? And if it's the lenth, is that only because we measure the Grand Canyon by the border of the national park? Or would it be bigger if we included all of the canyon network that extends hundreds of miles beyond the Grand Canyon?

I just don't like being mislead by the advertising campaign in Texas after having spent a good deal of time in the broader canyon country of southern Utah and northern Arizona. (And I say this as a person who spent most of his life in Texas!)


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Old 08-15-2004, 12:09 PM   #8
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Tin, you are a brave man.... having a size matters discussion with your wife...hehee.
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Old 08-16-2004, 09:30 PM   #9
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We also went to Palo Duro Canyon and loved it. Being from New Orleans we knew nothing about those big canyons. We arrived at about 10 PM and drove all the way down in the pitch dark.(And backed in in the pitch dark.)
When I woke up in the AM and looked out I could not believe I had driven down that mountain. I would have been scared to death if I had known!
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Old 08-16-2004, 09:33 PM   #10
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Heidi- That is too funny about driving into Palo Duro..
I do love your avitar pic in front of the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari NM! A totally classic American look.
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Old 08-16-2004, 09:49 PM   #11
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Heidi- That is too funny about driving into Palo Duro..
I do love your avitar pic in front of the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari NM! A totally classic American look.
I love it too. It's time to change it but I just can't seem to get a better picture. I found The Blue Swallow by accident . I was so excited that I hit the brakes and made a U-turn in the middle of the road! (Love that little Caravel!)
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Old 07-11-2007, 10:34 AM   #12
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Time to visit

Im guessing fall, say October, would be the time to visit the park? It looks to me like this is just under 250 miles from my new home. Might be a fun long weekend.
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Old 07-11-2007, 12:10 PM   #13
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Palo Duro St. Park

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gen Disarray
Im guessing fall, say October, would be the time to visit the park? It looks to me like this is just under 250 miles from my new home. Might be a fun long weekend.
If you want to see the play and you really should if you have not seen it. The play ends at the end of August I believe.
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Old 07-13-2007, 04:42 PM   #14
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size...

[QUOTE=eubank]I just don't like being mislead by the advertising campaign in Texas after having spent a good deal of time in the broader canyon country of southern Utah and northern Arizona. (And I say this as a person who spent most of his life in Texas!)


Lynn... you ever been to Palo Duro Canyon? The measurement of the size is for the canyon system, just as with the Grand Canyon. Yup... it really is that big! Yes, it is an advertising campaign but no, it's not misleading, just a fact.

Speaking of Canyons... try Big Bend. Not even the 3rd biggest, but it sure is cool!
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Old 07-13-2007, 05:00 PM   #15
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Rivet PD Canyon

It really is a beautiful place. I have never camped there, but have visited many times.

Vaughan
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Old 07-13-2007, 06:35 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaxon
Lynn... you ever been to Palo Duro Canyon? The measurement of the size is for the canyon system, just as with the Grand Canyon. Yup... it really is that big! Yes, it is an advertising campaign but no, it's not misleading, just a fact.
Oh, yes, been there, done that.

What I mean by canyon system would take the "Grand Canyon" system from some place up close to Grand Junction, Colorado (Colorado National Monument) down through the Canyonlands National Park and the canyon (idiotically) buried by Lake Powell in Utah, down through the Lee's Ferry area canyon near Page and finally way down in Arizona below the Grand Canyon National Park on the Havasupai reservation. That's one really big stretch of territory, dwarfing in every imaginable way the canyon system that includes both Palo Duro and Caprock Canyons.


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Old 07-13-2007, 07:10 PM   #17
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You're right Lynn, they don't call it "the big ditch" for nothing...
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Old 07-14-2007, 07:33 AM   #18
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Frankly, I'm not to worried about it's length, volume, or depth. I'm more concerned about how fun it is to be there. I can be funny like that.
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Old 07-14-2007, 10:16 AM   #19
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Frankly, I'm not to worried about it's length, volume, or depth. I'm more concerned about how fun it is to be there. I can be funny like that.
Same here. I can enjoy just about anything, especially if I'm away from home!

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Old 07-28-2007, 08:52 PM   #20
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We did Palo Duro last year and really enjoyed. Don't recall exactly which location in the canyon where we put donw for a week. Another great location is the Davis Mts State Park near Big Bend.
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