Palo Duro Canyon

Palo Duro Canyon State Park Trails Map Park safety emergency number: (806) 488-2227 Sheriff’s dispatch number: (806) 468-5800 1 3400 5 0.23 341 1 ' 0 340 31 00 320 0 4 LEGEND Triassic Trail 0.2 miles (Hiking Only) Pioneer Nature Trail 0.5 mi. (Hiking Only) 3200 6 Upper 2890' Comanche Trail 3.3 mi. 31 00 34 00 Kiowa Trail 1.4 mi. Contour intervals 10 feet. No claims are made to the accuracy of the data or its suitability to a particular use. Map compiled by Texas State Parks staff. 31 00 00 33 2.46 2900 00 32 Roadrunner 00 POINTS OF INTEREST (GPS coordinates shown in degrees, minutes, seconds) 0.1 4 7 0.8 32 00 29 00 3283' 32 00 34 00 0.1 6 31 00 3200 0.0 5 Cactus Camp Area 0.2 2 31 00 3200 0.08 3200 0.5 8 Mesquite Camp Area 6 WILDLIFE VIEWING BLIND 34° 58' 25.320" N 101° 40' 35.148" W Relax and watch some of the park’s natural residents. 7 DUGOUT 34° 57' 49.392" N 101° 40' 16.752" W Take a peek into the life of a 19th-century cowboy. 8 LIGHTHOUSE 34° 56' 11.220" N 101° 41' 48.264" W The symbol of Palo Duro Canyon State Park. 9 ROCK GARDEN 34° 56' 25.476" N 101° 39' 6.408" W Take a hike through an ancient landslide. 10 THE BIG CAVE 34° 56' 2.544" N 101° 38' 40.704" W There are no outlaws in this hole in the wall. 30 00 3356' 3200 0. 37 2800 Equestrian Camp Area 3300 0.03 0.1 7 3300 3400 3400 CCC FIREPLACE 34° 59' 5.208" N 101° 41' 29.832" W Visit the lone sentinel from a once-thriving CCC camp. 3285' 3000 31 00 3200 10 00 34 5 2841 ' 331 5' WolfberryMulti-Use Area 00 33 320 0 330 0 3200 31 00 Trail 1.1 mi. 0.21 0.39 33 00 3000 0.57 4 3300 3371 ' 9 Juniper/Riverside 0.0 3308' 32 00 2842' 0.07 Juniper/Cliffside Trail 2.9 mi. (Multi-use Trail) 3300 Tub Springs Draw Spur 0.5 mi. 3200 Sunflower Trail 1.2 mi. 3295' 3269' BRIDGES ON UPPER CCC TRAIL 34° 58' 52.320" N 101° 41' 32.100" W Inspect the handiwork of the CCC craftsmen. 0.7 00 30 4 3403' Duck Pond Spur 0.2 mi. 3200 2.7 3 EL CORONADO LODGE 34° 58' 45.192" N 101° 41' 29.436" W Learn a little history of the park and maybe do some shopping. 3200 3200 0.16 0.38 0.19 8 Rock Garden Trail Fortress Cliff Camp Area 2.4 miles 4 0.9 31 63' 32 00 00 31 280 0 3000 00 31 Lighthouse Trail 2.72 miles (Multi-use Trail) 00 32 0.0 2 3200 331 9' 1.39 1.9 0 340 1.16 3200 Capitol Peak Trail 3.5 miles (Biking Only) 32 00 1.0 3 0.43 3000 3474' 0.15 Rojo Grande Trail 1.2 mi. 2880' 0.08 1 0.5 8 0.8 3 3300 2830' 3400 1.0 0.4 3 0.7 CCC OVERLOOK AT VISITOR CENTER 34° 58' 48.684" N 101° 41' 27.672" W Marvel at a grand view of the park before descending into the canyon. 0.1 9 0.23 30 00 6 29 00 30 00 3300 0 290 3400 2.1 Rylander Fortress Cliff Trail 3.7 mi. Fortress 0. 62 Rim Spur 0.61 0.2 mi. Scrub Oak Spur 0.23 miles 3400 0.08 0.51 32 00 0.3 1 0.27 0 290 0.1 3 3000 00 30 3422' Lower Comanche Trail 4.4 mi. 2 0.46 30 00 2889' 5 1. 3 31 58' 00 29 00 29 00 29 31 00 Paseo del Rio Trail 1.0 mi. 1.02 Soapberry Day Use Area 29 00 3452' 0.2 6 Soapberry Spur 0.3 miles 2871 ' 0.9 6 3300 0.33 9 3200 4 340 0 Fractures in the Rock Spur 0.3 mi. 0.64 3400 0.0 2.6 LONGHORN PASTURE 34° 59’ 04.380”N 101° 42’ 04.572”W Look for longhorns from Texas’ Official Longhorn Herd. 0.0 0.43 3209' 1 3400 32 00 Little Fox Canyon Trail 1.4 mi. 0.04 3000 7 2950' 2900 0.23 31 00 31 0 0 3400 3200 3265' Givens, Spicer, Lowry Trail 3.1 mi. 3200 00 30 8 0.0 Hackberry Camp Area 0.16 320 0 340 0 0.6 0.8 1 3391 ' In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. 3445' © 2018 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department PWD MP P4506-0007P (7/18) 2800 2900 3469' 2800 0.4 2800 0.2 3462' 1.4 2 Equestrian Trail 1.6 miles (Equestrian Only) 2900 29 00 31 00 3456' 00 33 Texas State Parks is a division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. 34 00 TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text 3462' 3468' Telephone (TDD) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. 2922' 29 00 28 00 341 0' 0 300 000 0 Parking Wildlife Viewing Campground Amphitheater Scenic Overlook All trails are hiking and biking unless otherwise indicated by icons. 0 300 00 34 3385' Sagebrush Camp Area 0.13 3394' 0.16 0.25 Goodnight Peak Scenic Loop 0.4 mi. (Hiking Only) 0.49 2941 ' 00 34 2900 0.33 0 0.0 .05 2 4 0.0 4 0.2 0 330 3 34 00 2 CCC Trail 1.4 mi. (Hiking Only) 2900 00 33 3200 Headquarters Restrooms Hiking Trail Only Biking Trail Only Horse Trail 2991 ' 0.71 1.3 1 11450 Park Road 5 Canyon, TX 79015 www.texasstateparks.org Palo Duro Canyon State Park Discover hoodoos and history at this scenic canyon. TRAIL DISTANCE TIME DIFFICULTY DESCRIPTION CCC 1.43 mi. (One way) 1.5 hr Difficult Cross four historic CCC bridges as you descend 500 feet through four geologic layers from the canyon rim to the canyon floor. CAPITOL PEAK 2.96 mi. (Loop) 1.5 hrs Easy to Difficult This mountain-biking trail traverses the scenic canyon country around Capitol Peak with three levels of difficulty for various biking skills: GreenEasy; Blue-Moderate; Black-Difficult. EQUESTRIAN 1.66 mi. (One way) 2 hrs Moderate  ake your horse for a canyon ride through the former grazing lands of the T historic JA Ranch. GIVENS, SPICER, LOWRY 3.08 mi. (One way) 2.5 hrs Difficult Named for avid runners who helped build the canyon’s trail system, this trail offers a challenging workout and amazing scenery. JUNIPER/ CLIFFSIDE 2.83 mi. (One way) 2 hrs Moderate Notice the percolation caves carved by moving water in the sides of the cliffs along this trail. JUNIPER/ RIVERSIDE 1.07 mi. (One way) 1 hr Moderate Watch for the colorful Spanish Skirts rock formations along this flat trail along the edge of the river. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. Your body loses fluid quickly when you’re on the trail. Bring at least one quart of water per person per mile. Don’t forget extra water for your pets. LIGHTHOUSE 2.72 mi. (One way) 2 hrs Moderate TELL OTHERS WHERE YOU’LL BE. If possible, avoid exploring alone. Tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return. Don’t miss the park’s most popular trail leading to the iconic Lighthouse rock formation. Do take plenty of water, as most heat-related injuries and deaths to people and pets occur on this trail. PASEO DEL RIO 1.03 mi. (One way) 1 hr Easy As you walk along the river, stop at the Cowboy Dugout to see how the cowboys lived in the 1880s. WEAR A HELMET. When mountain biking, check with park HQ to match the trail to your skill level. Wear a helmet to protect yourself in case of a crash. PIONEER NATURE .49 mi. (Loop) 1/2 hr Easy Watch for Texas horned lizards on this easy, family-friendly trail that loops down to the river and back. POTENTIALLY HARMFUL PLANTS AND ANIMALS LIVE HERE. Staying on the trail makes them easier to see. ROCK GARDEN 2.39 mi. (One way) 2.5 hrs Difficult Climb 600 feet from a field of boulders at the bottom of the canyon to the Rylander Fortress Cliff Trail along the canyon’s rim. ROJO GRANDE 1.17 mi. (One way) 1 hr Moderate Explore this shady, scenic trail through the rusty red Quartermaster geologic formation at the canyon bottom. RYLANDER FORTRESS CLIFF 3.73 mi. (One way) 3 hrs Easy As you hike this easy trail along the canyon rim, take the spur trails to the scenic overlooks for stunning views of the canyon below. This trail is only accessible from the Rock Garden Trail. Trash your trash. Keep the park natural. Pack out all of your trash and Leave No Trace. SUNFLOWER 1.17mi. (One way) 1 hr Easy Watch for beautiful veins of white satin-spar gypsum about a quarter-mile past the trailhead on this shady, family-friendly trail. Leave feeding to nature. Feeding wild animals will make them sick and more likely to cause harm to people. UPPER COMANCHE 3.3 MI. 3 hrs Difficult Explorer the heart of the territory of the Comanches on this beautiful multiuse trail. Cross the river that is the main force that formed the canyon, then enjoy the breathtaking views across the canyon from a view point about halfway up the canyon’s wall. LOWER COMANCHE 4.4 mi. 4 hrs Difficult Marvel at the amazing scenery as you hike beneath the craggy face of Fortress Cliff on this challenging trail. Watch for spring fed streams crossing the trail, and stop to rest in the shade of a Rocky Mountain juniper, the tree that gives the “Hard Wood” Canyon its name. KIOWA 1.5 hrs Easy This easy trail provides great views of Triassic Peak, an original CCC road bridge, and the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River. You’ll also get up close and personal with the 250-million-year-old Permian formation that gives the river its red color. You’ll discover an artist’s palette of colors as you explore the geologic wonders of the grandest canyon in Texas. From canyon rim to floor, you can explore nature’s diversity and the history of the Texas Panhandle Plains. STAYING SAFE KNOW YOUR LIMITS. Prepare for sun and heat. Wear sunscreen, insect repellent and appropriate clothing/hiking shoes. WEATHER CHANGES QUICKLY. Check forecasts before you leave and prepare for unexpected changes in the weather. TRAIL ETIQUETTE (one-way) Please stay on designated trails and do not cross fences. Keep pets on leashes to keep them safe, while protecting wildlife. (one-way) Don’t pocket the past. Help preserve Texas heritage. Leave artifacts where you find them and report their location to a ranger. Take only memories and pictures. Help preserve nature. Leave all plants and animals in the park. 1.5 mi. (one-way) FOR EMERGENCIES, PLEASE CALL 9-1-1. For information on Texas State Parks, visit www.texasstateparks.org Sign up today for free email updates: texasstateparks.org/email /texasparksandwildlife @TPWDparks #TxStateParks Sponsor: Whole Earth Provision Co.