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The Official Texas State Bison Herd at Caprock Canyons represents the last remaining examples of the Southern Plains variety.
At some point the rain will stop and people will have the opportunity to explore the Texas Panhandle for summer excursions.
The great thing is, it can be done on day trips or a regular vacation. So, grab a camera and hiking shoes and head out for some sightseeing and fun.
Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Canyon
A good place to start is Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Opened in 1934, it is the second largest canyon in the United States, surpassed only by the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
It is up to 800 feet deep, about 120 miles long and 20 miles wide. As you descend 500 feet to the floor of the canyon, tourists can see the beautiful colors of the four geologic layers. Watch for the hoodoos, too.
A good start at Palo Duro is a stop by the Visitor Center on the canyon rim to learn more about the park. The park store is located there with books, pottery, jewelry, and more. At the Trading Post on the canyon floor, there are souvenirs, snacks, and meals.
Palo Duro has more than 30 miles trails for hikers, bikers, or horse riders to explore. With ranges from easy to difficult, hiking is one of the favorite activities to do in the park. Hiking the Lighthouse Trail is the most popular one, where at the end of trail there is a rock formation that looks like a lighthouse, the icon of the park. Trails may close due to wet weather or poor conditions.
Palo Duro is al the home the TEXAS Outdoor Musical during the summertime. It is a show about the stories, struggles, and triumphs of the early settlers and a family-friendly show that has singing, dancing, fireworks, and lots of Texas humor. It runs Tuesdays through Sundays at the Pioneer Amphitheater in the park. Come early for a barbecue dinner at the covered patio. Tickets are required attend and can be purchased at www.texas-show.com.
The park also has numerous interesting Ranger Programs for all ages that include hiking or running on different trails, learning about the rocks that shaped the park, stargazing, or driving tour with a ranger are some of them. It is also home of the Official State of Texas Longhorn Herd not far from the entrance.
Alibates Flint Quarries
The Alibates Flint Quarries, located near Fritch, Texas, were a well-known site for mammoth hunters for as a source of flint for tools about 13,000 years ago. Centuries passed but the colorful flint never lost its value and usefulness in the Texas Panhandle.
Quarry tours are available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. During the designated season, people can join a NPS Ranger for a one-of-a-kind program and learn about the Native Americans who lived on the Texas Plains and used the Alibates flint. Convoy to the trailhead for a moderate two-mile hike (170 ft. in elevation. Quarry Tours are available depending on weather conditions. Call 806-857-6680 for reservations.
Additionally, the Alibates Garden and the Mesquite Trail are open for self-guided tours. The visitor center offers museum exhibits and Jr. Ranger programs.
Quarry Tours are available at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. depending on weather conditions. The Alibates Garden and the Mesquite Trail are open for self-guided tours.
Camping is available nearby at Lake Meredith National Recreation Area.
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area features hiking, camping, hunting, bird watching, swimming, horseback riding, boating, fishing, and specific areas for operat ing off-road vehicles.
Caprock Canyons State Park
Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway is located along the eastern edge of the Llano Estacado near Quitaque in Briscoe County, Texas. The state park opened in 1982 and is 15,314 acres in size, making it the third-largest state park in Texas.
Wind and water over the eons shaped the rugged beauty of Caprock Canyons State Park in the Panhandle of Texas. Today, bison roam the plains, bats roost in Clarity Tunnel, and there are 90 miles of trails. the Official Texas State Bison Herd is located at Caprock Canyons.
Besides the bison and bats, there is hiking hike, horseback riding and biking, camping, geocaching, and scenic drives and great picnicking.
Most of trails are open for hiking and biking. Trails range from easy (Mesa Trail) to very challenging (Haynes Ridge Overlook Trail). Lengths range from just over 1 mile to 15 miles. Only experienced bikers should ride the more difficult trails.
Horses are allowed on many of the trails; only riders with experience should tackle the more challenging trails. These trails have cliffs and drop-offs, and steep climbs and descents. Water is available for animals along the park trails, but tourists should bring drinking water. A current proof of negative Coggins is required at the park headquarters.
Campsites range from drive up sites with electricity to hike-in primitive sites. There are also equestrian campsites with corrals. Call the park for all camping reservations in advance.
There is also swimming, fishing and no-wake boating in the 120-surface-acre Lake Theo depending on conditions.