View source for Palo Duro Canyon

{{short description|Texas panhandle escarpment}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox valley
| name = Palo Duro Canyon
| embed =
| other_name = 
| photo = Palo Duro Canyon State Park 2002.jpg
| photo_size = 
| photo_width =
| photo_caption = View from the Interpretive Center
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| map = Texas#USA
| map_size = 
| map_width = 280
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| relief = yes
| label = Palo Duro
| label_position = bottom
| coordinates = {{coord|34|57|N|101|40|W|type:landmark|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref = 
| location =
| elevation = {{convert|2828|ft|abbr=on}}
| elevation_ref =
| direction = 
| length = {{convert|120|mi|abbr=on}}
| width = {{convert|20|mi|abbr=on}}
| area = 
| depth = {{convert|800|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name="tpwd.texas.gov">{{cite web | url=https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/palo-duro-canyon/nature | title=Palo Duro Canyon State Park Nature — Texas Parks & Wildlife Department }}</ref>
| type = 
| age =
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| towns =
| traversed = 
| watercourses = [[Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River]]
| footnotes = 
{{designation list |embed=yes |designation1=NNL |designation1_date=1976}}
}}
'''Palo Duro Canyon''' is a [[canyon]] system of the [[Caprock Escarpment]] located in the [[Texas Panhandle]] near the cities of [[Amarillo, Texas|Amarillo]] and [[Canyon, Texas|Canyon]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/palo_duro/|title=Palo Duro Canyon State Park — Texas Parks & Wildlife Department|website=Tpwd.state.tx.us|access-date=29 September 2018}}</ref> The second largest canyon system in the [[United States]], it is roughly {{convert|25-40|mi|abbr=on}} long and has an average width of {{convert|6|mi|abbr=on}}, but reaches a width of {{convert|20|mi|abbr=on}} at places. Its depth is around {{convert|800|ft|abbr=on}},<ref name="tpwd.texas.gov">{{cite web | url=https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/palo-duro-canyon/nature | title=Palo Duro Canyon State Park Nature — Texas Parks & Wildlife Department }}</ref> but in some locations, valley bottom to surrounding hills increases to {{convert|1000|ft|abbr=on}}. Palo Duro Canyon (from the Spanish meaning "hard stick")<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palodurocanyon.com/|title=Palo Duro Canyon State Park|website=Palodurocanyon.com|access-date=29 September 2018}}</ref> has been named "The Grand Canyon of Texas" both for its size and for its dramatic geological features, including the multicolored layers of rock and steep [[mesa]] walls, which are similar to those in the [[Grand Canyon]]. It is part of '''Palo Duro Canyon State Park'''. The State Park had 442,242 visitors in 2022.<ref name="Park visitation">{{cite web |author=Christopher Adams |publisher= |url=https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/what-is-the-most-visited-state-park-in-texas-heres-the-top-10-countdown/ |title=What is the most visited state park in Texas? Here's the top 10 countdown
 |website=KXAN.com |date= February 24, 2023|access-date=November 21, 2023}}</ref>

==Geology==
[[File:PaloDuroCanyon geologic map.png|thumb|left|upright=1.5|Palo Duro Canyon [[geological map]]]]
The canyon was formed by the [[Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River]], which initially winds along the level surface of the [[Llano Estacado]] of [[West Texas]], then suddenly and dramatically runs off the [[Caprock Escarpment]].  Water [[erosion]] over the millennia has shaped the canyon's geological formations.

Notable canyon formations include [[cave]]s and [[Hoodoo (geology)|hoodoos]]. One of the best-known and the major signature feature of the canyon is the Lighthouse Rock. A multiple-use, {{cvt|6|mi|0}} round-trip loop trail is dedicated to the formation.<ref name=pdc>{{cite news|url=http://lubbockonline.com/stories/060609/loc_447973076.shtml|title=Logan G. Carver, "Palo Duro Canyon quick getaway from Lubbock"|newspaper=[[Lubbock Avalanche-Journal]]|access-date=June 21, 2009}}</ref>

[[File:Palo Duro lighthouse.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|The Lighthouse Rock]]
Palo Duro Canyon was [[downcutting|downcut]] by the Prairie Dog Town Fork [[Red River of the South|Red River]] during the [[Pleistocene]], when the whole region was uplifted.<ref>Spearing, Darwin. Roadside Geology of Texas. Missoula: Mountain Press Publishing Co., 1991. {{ISBN|0-87842-265-X}} p. 381</ref>  Most of the strata visible in the canyon were deposited during the [[Permian]] and [[Triassic]] periods. From oldest to youngest, and each separated by an [[unconformity]], the [[formation (geology)|formations]] are:

The [[Quartermaster Formation]] is [[Permian]] in age, and forms the red, lower slopes of the Canyon. This layer was deposited in a near-shore shallow-marine environment consisting of [[siltstone]]s and [[shale]]s with [[ripple marks]] and [[cross bedding]], that alternated with dry tidal flats indicated by [[satin spar]] [[gypsum]]  and [[halite]] cast [[evaporite]] deposits.  The red color indicates periods of oxidation.<ref>Spearing, pp. 377, 383</ref><ref name=WTSUGS/>  The Quartermaster Formation forms the lower wall and canyon floor, averaging {{cvt|60|ft|m|-1}} in thickness where it [[outcrop]]s.  In particular, this alternating red and white formation forms the steep and [[gully|gullied]] lower portion of the north flank of Timber Mesa, with the maroon and lavender smooth slopes of the Tecovas Shale above.<ref name="Matthews">{{cite book |last1=Matthews |first1=William |title=The Geologic Story of Palo Duro Canyon, Guide Book 8 |date=1969 |publisher=Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin |location=Austin |pages=17–28, 35–38 |url=http://www.gutenberg.readingroo.ms/5/2/1/7/52179/52179-h/52179-h.htm#c11}}</ref>

[[File:Palo Duro and Caprock Canyons, TX.png|thumb|Astronaut photo of Palo Duro and Caprock Canyons in early 2022|500px]]
The [[Tecovas Formation]] is a part of the [[Dockum Group]] with the Trujillo Formation. This multicolored [[Triassic]] unit consists of [[shale]], [[siltstone]], and [[sandstone]]. Deposited in streams and swamps, its colors indicate varying [[oxidation|oxidizing]] conditions, and the alternating dry/wet cycles typical of such environments. These rocks are fossiliferous, containing the remains of [[phytosaur]]s, [[amphibians]], and [[fish]],<ref>Spearing, 384-5</ref> including [[Metoposaurus]], [[Desmatosuchus]], [[Koskinonodon]], and [[lungfish]], besides [[coprolite]]s and the [[petrified wood]] remains of [[Araucarioxylon]].  [[Septarian]] calcite concretions and calcite [[geode]]s are numerous, and the shale forms the less steep canyon walls covered by [[scree|talus]] slopes.<ref name=WTSUGS>{{cite book |title=Guidebook of Palo Duro Canyon |date=1980 |publisher=West Texas State University Geological Society |location=West Texas State University |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/50487/50487-h/50487-h.htm#fig1}}</ref>  A prominent band of [[joint (geology)|jointed]] white sandstone about {{cvt|15|ft|m|0}} thick marks the middle of this {{cvt|200|ft|m|-1}} formation.  Lavender, gray and white shales lie below this sandstone, while an orange shale lies between this sandstone and the Trujillo Formation above.  The Quartermaster and Tecovas Formations make up Capital Peak.  Likewise, the lower third of Triassic Peak is composed of the deeply furrowed Quartermaster Formation, overlain by the gentle slopes and smooth surface of the Tecovas Formation shales, all capped by the weather-resistant Trujillo Formation sandstone.  Large blocks of this sandstone, due to [[mass wasting]], are found along the flanks and base of the peak.<ref name=Matthews/>

The [[Trujillo Formation]] is a Triassic formation that is harder than the underlying Tecovas and forms many of the Canyon's ledges. Composed of coarse sandstone, river [[cross-bedding]] indicates deposition in a stream environment. Fossils are rare.<ref>Spearing, pp. 384-5</ref>  The sandstone has alternating layers of [[shale]] and [[marl]]-[[pebble]] [[conglomerate (geology)|conglomerate]].<ref name=WTSUGS/>  The formation is massively bedded sandstone, making a distinct contact with the underlying Tecovas Formation, forming cliffs, prominent [[bench (geology)|benches]] and mesas within the canyon.  The formation includes a basal, middle, and upper sandstone [[member (geology)|members]], separated by shales.  The middle sandstone member forms conspicuous ledges and cliffs.  Phytosaur and Koskinonodon remains, plus leaf imprints and mineralized wood have been found within the formation.  Erosion-resistant sandstones protect pedestals of underlying shale, giving rise to hoodoos, including the Lighthouse, and the hoodoo at the south end of Capitol Peak.  Likewise, the Rock Garden is composed of Trujillo sandstone [[boulder]]s.<ref name=Matthews/>

The [[Ogallala Formation]] is a late [[Miocene]] to early [[Pliocene]] unit which forms the cliffs and ledges at the very top of the canyon. It is composed of sandstone, siltstone, and [[Conglomerate (geology)|conglomerate]] eroded from a late [[Cenozoic]] uplift of the [[Rocky Mountains]], and is separated from the lower Trujillo Formation by a [[disconformity]], representing a long hiatus. The coarse, porous sedimentary units of the Ogallala Formation constitute the [[Ogallala Aquifer]], which has historically functioned as a major source of drinking water for much of the [[High Plains (United States)|High Plains]].<ref>Darton, N.H. 1898. Preliminary report on the geology and water resources of Nebraska west of the [[103rd meridian west|one hundred and third meridian]]. In: Walcott, C.D. (ed), Nineteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1897-1898, Part IV, pp. 719-785.</ref><ref>Rex C. Buchanan, B. Brownie Wilson, Robert R. Buddemeier, and James J. Butler, Jr. [http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/pic18/pic18_1.html "The High Plains Aquifer"]. ''Kansas Geological Survey, Public Information Circular (PIC) 18''.</ref>  Fossils of saber-toothed cats (''[[Smilodon]]''), bone-crushing dogs (''[[Borophagus]]''), [[mastodon]]s, [[horse]]s, long-necked [[camel]]s (''[[Aepycamelus]]''), [[rhinoceros]]es, and large [[tortoise]]s up to 3 feet in length, are present in the Ogallala.<ref>Spearing, pp. 355-6, 385</ref>  The siltstone and sandstone have been cemented by silica, which gives rise to the occurrence of common [[opal]] and almost-[[chert]] pockets.<ref name=WTSUGS/>  The upper portion of the formation has thick deposits of [[caliche]], very evident at the Coronado Lodge on the northwest rim of the canyon.  Fortress Cliff, on the eastern rim of the canyon, has a spectacular exposure of the Ogallala Formation.<ref name=Matthews/>

[[Headward erosion]] by the Prairie Dog Town fork of the Red River, into the caprock escarpment of the [[Llano Estacado]], caused differential erosion.  This meant the more resistant Ogallala and Trujillo formations formed the steeper walls of the canyon.<ref name=WTSUGS/>

{{Panorama
|image   = File: Panorama of the Palo Duro Canyon from the Park road down into the canyon.jpeg
|height  = 200
|alt     = Panoramic view of the Palo Duro Canyon showing the Quartermaster, Tecovas, Trujillo, and Ogallala formations
|caption = Panoramic view of the Palo Duro Canyon showing the Quartermaster, Tecovas, Trujillo, and Ogallala formations
}}
{{Panorama
|image   = File: Palo Duro Canyon and Capitol Peak.JPG
|height  = 200
|alt     = 
|caption = Capitol Peak
}}

==History==

The first evidence of human habitation of the canyon dates back about 10,000&ndash;15,000 years, and it is believed to have been continuously inhabited to the present day. [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] were attracted to the water of the Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River, as well as the consequent ample game, edible plants, and protection from the weather the canyon provided.

The first European explorers to discover the canyon were members of the [[Francisco Vásquez de Coronado|Coronado expedition]], under the Spanish crown, who visited the canyon in 1541. [[Apache Tribe|Apache]] Indians lived in Palo Duro at the time, but they were later displaced by [[Comanche]] and [[Kiowa]] tribes, who had the advantage of owning [[horse]]s brought over by the Spanish. The [[Mescalero Apache]] refer to the canyon as '''Nił'e'agutel''' or "canyon in the plains."<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Carmichael |first=David |title=We do not forget; we remember: Mescalero Apache origins and migration as reflected in place names |url=https://www.academia.edu/31667989 |journal=From the Land of Ever Winter to the American Southwest: Athapaskan Migrations, Mobility, and Ethnogenesis}}</ref> They had contact with traders, called [[Comanchero]]s, in nearby [[New Mexico]].

A United States military team under [[Captain (U.S. Army)|Captain]] [[Randolph B. Marcy]] mapped the canyon in 1852 during their search for the headwaters of the Red River. The land remained under American Indian control until a military expedition led by [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] [[Ranald S. Mackenzie]] was sent in 1874 to remove the Indians to reservations in [[Oklahoma]]. The Mackenzie expedition captured about 1,200 of the Indians' horses and slaughtered them in nearby Tule Canyon during the [[Battle of Palo Duro Canyon]]. The Comanche and Kiowa conceded and left the area.

Soon after, in 1876, [[Charles Goodnight]] and a wealthy [[Ulster Scots people|Ulster Scot]] named [[John George Adair|John Adair]] established the [[JA Ranch]] in Palo Duro Canyon. Col. Goodnight helped manage the ranch until 1890.  Over the next half century, the canyon remained in private hands but was an increasingly popular tourist spot for residents.

[[Masterson, Texas#Charles N. Gould|Charles N. Gould]] made a [[geological map]] of the canyon and named the [[formation (geology)|formations]] in 1905.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gould |first1=Charles |title=Covered Wagon Geologist |date=2003 |publisher=Textbook Publishers |isbn=9780758117069}}</ref>

In 1931, a major landowner signed a two-year contract with the local chamber of commerce to allow public access to the canyon.<ref>, Steely, James Wright. ''Parks for Texas: Enduring Landscapes of the New Deal''. Austin: U of Texas, 1999. Print.</ref> The upper section of the canyon was purchased by the State of Texas in 1934 and turned into the {{convert|20000|acre|ha|adj=on}} Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Amarillo is the largest city near Palo Duro Canyon State Park, but the smaller city of [[Canyon, Texas|Canyon]] is nearer. In 1976, Palo Duro Canyon State Park was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nnlandmarks/site.htm?Site=PADU-TX
|title=National Natural Landmarks - National Natural Landmarks (U.S. National Park Service)
|website=www.nps.gov|language=en
|quote="Year designated: 1976"
|access-date=2019-03-30}}</ref>

Seven companies of the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]] (CCC) developed the park from 1933 until 1937. Companies 1821, 1823 and 1824 made up of military veterans, companies 2875 and 2876 made up of African Americans, and company 894, a junior group of young men 17 to 25, took part in various construction projects, starting with the construction of Park Road 5, a two-lane road from the rim to the floor of the canyon. The workers used [[dynamite]] to blast away difficult areas for the road, but most work was done with hand tools such as [[pickaxe]]s, [[shovel]]s and [[wheelbarrow]]s.

Other CCC projects included the headquarters building, [[culvert]]s, low-water crossings, bridges, Spring House, Well House, the Coronado Lodge interpretive center, 4 overnight cabins known as Cow Camp, and the 3 rim cabins.  In addition, picnic and camping areas were built, complete with tables, seats, fireplaces, and garbage receptacles.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brandimarte |first1=Cynthia |last2=Reed |first2=Angela |title=Texas State Parks and the CCC: The Legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps |date=2013 |publisher=Texas A&M University Press |location=College Station |isbn=9781623492960 |pages=35,148–149}}</ref>

== Tourism and activities ==
Palo Duro Canyon is part of the Texas State Parks system under Texas Parks and Wildlife. Day entry into the park is covered by the Texas Parks Pass.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Park Passes — Texas Parks & Wildlife Department|url=https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/park-information/passes|access-date=2021-01-26|website=tpwd.texas.gov|language=en}}</ref>

Palo Duro Canyon hosts several activities throughout the park. There are 16 trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, ranging in length from .05 miles to  4.4 miles. There are options for camping, with sites for tents with water access and RV campers alike.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Palo Duro Canyon State Park Campsites — Texas Parks & Wildlife Department|url=https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/palo-duro-canyon/fees-facilities/campsites|access-date=2021-01-26|website=tpwd.texas.gov|language=en-us}}</ref> There are also sites for keeping horses available to campers planning to horseback ride in the canyon.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Palo Duro Canyon State Park Horse Sites — Texas Parks & Wildlife Department|url=https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/palo-duro-canyon/fees-facilities/horse-sites|access-date=2021-01-26|website=tpwd.texas.gov|language=en-us}}</ref> In addition, lodging cabins are available for rent that sit on the outer rim of the canyon, providing an impressive view of both the canyon and the sunrise.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Palo Duro Canyon State Park Lodging — Texas Parks & Wildlife Department|url=https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/palo-duro-canyon/fees-facilities/cabins|access-date=2021-01-26|website=tpwd.texas.gov|language=en-us}}</ref>

Group sites and spaces are available for group retreats, youth groups, and weddings. The Mack Dick Pavilion is a popular location for weddings and receptions, as the canyon provides a beautiful backdrop.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Palo Duro Canyon State Park Group Sites — Texas Parks & Wildlife Department|url=https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/palo-duro-canyon/fees-facilities/group-facilities-|access-date=2021-01-26|website=tpwd.texas.gov|language=en-us}}</ref>

==In culture==
[[File: Georgia O'Keeffe, Palo Duro Canyon, 1916-1917.tif|thumb|upright|Georgia O'Keeffe, [[Palo Duro Canyon paintings of O'Keeffe|''Red Landscape'']], oil on board, 1916–1917, [[Panhandle–Plains Historical Museum]], [[West Texas A&M University]]]]
The painter [[Georgia O'Keeffe]], who lived in nearby [[Amarillo, Texas|Amarillo]] and [[Canyon, Texas|Canyon]] in the early 20th century, wrote of the Palo Duro: "It is a burning, seething cauldron, filled with dramatic light and color."<ref>Georgia O'Keeffe exhibit, [[Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum]], [[Canyon, Texas]]</ref> She made [[Palo Duro Canyon paintings of O'Keeffe|paintings of Palo Duro Canyon]] between 1916 and 1918, when she was an instructor and head of the art department at [[West Texas State Normal College]].<ref name="Birth of the abstract">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/art/museum_shows/birth-of-the-abstract-georgia-o-keeffe-in-amarillo/article_84382647-d086-53cd-9ee3-d2d0a14a81f9.html|title=Birth of the abstract: Georgia O'Keeffe in Amarillo|website=Santa Fe New Mexican|date=April 29, 2016|author=Michael Abatemarco|access-date=January 18, 2017}}</ref><ref name="TH">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.texashighways.com/culture-lifestyle/item/460-georgia-o-keeffe-canyon-and-sky|title=Georgia O'Keeffe: Canyon and Sky|website=Texas Highways magazine|date=November 2013|author=Kathryn Jones|access-date=January 17, 2017}}</ref>

Palo Duro Canyon is the site of an outdoor historical and musical drama, titled ''Texas'', presented annually each summer by actors, singers, dancers, and artists of the Texas Panhandle region. The spectacle, created by playwright [[Paul Green (playwright)|Paul Eliot Green]], premiered on July 1, 1966, at the newly constructed Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon State Park. It has continued each summer through the present, making ''Texas'' "the best-attended outdoor history drama in the nation."<ref>The Texas Observer; Austin, Texas; July 13, 2015. [http://www.texasobserver.org/reinventing-outdoor-musical-texas/ ''Reinventing '''Texas'''''], by Robyn Ross. Retrieved September 24, 2015.</ref>

American composer [[Samuel Jones (composer)|Samuel Jones]]'s Symphony No. 3 is titled "Palo Duro Canyon." It premiered May 1, 1992, in an outdoor performance at the Palo Duro Canyon State Park's Pioneer Amphitheatre, with James Setapen conducting the Amarillo Symphony (which had commissioned the work). The composer writes: "I wanted the piece ... to conjure up an intuitive awareness of the long movements of time required for the creation of a canyon. I also wanted in some way to pay homage to Native Americans, to whom this canyon was a sacred place. And I wanted to capture in music that magical moment which everyone experiences when they first see the flat, treeless High Plains fall dizzyingly away into the colorful vastness of the Palo Duro Canyon itself."<ref>Jones, Samuel. [http://samueljones.net/notes/sym3_notes.html ''Notes to Symphony No. 3 ("Palo Duro Canyon")'']. Retrieved September 25, 2015.</ref> A [[KACV-TV]] documentary on the canyon, composer, and symphony, titled ''And There Will Be Sounds,'' was broadcast on [[PBS]] stations nationally later that year; and a commercial recording was subsequently released by the [[Seattle Symphony]] under the baton of [[Gerard Schwarz]].<ref>Schwarz, Gerard (conductor); Seattle Symphony. ''Jones: Symphony No. 3 "Palo Duro Canyon," Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra''. Naxos 8.559378, 2009.</ref>
A second recording was released in 2018 as part of a multichannel SACD titled 'American Symphonies' on the Swedish [[BIS Records|BIS]] label, with Lance Friedel conducting the [[London Symphony Orchestra]].<ref name="Morgan2018">{{cite web |author1=Dan Morgan |title=Walter Piston, Samuel Jones, Stephen Albert American Symphonies – BIS2118 [DM] Classical Music Reviews: June 2018 – |url=http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2018/Jun/American_symphonies_BIS2118.htm |website=Musicweb-international.com |publisher=Music Web International}}</ref>

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*[[Blanco Canyon]]
*[[Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway]]
*[[Double Mountain Fork Brazos River]]
*[[Duffy's Peak]]
*[[High Plains (United States)|High Plains]]
*[[Ogallala Aquifer]]
*[[Mushaway Peak]]
*[[Salt Fork Brazos River]]
*[[Texas State Highway 207]]
*[[Yellow House Canyon]]
*[[Yellow House Draw]]
{{div col end}}
{{Portal inline|Texas}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Palo Duro Canyon}}
{{wikivoyage|Palo Duro Canyon}}
*[http://www.palodurocanyon.com/ Palo Duro Canyon State Park] official website
*[http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/palo_duro/ Texas Parks and Wildlife: Palo Duro Canyon]
*Read [https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth6105/ Exploration of the Red River], by Randolph Marcy, 1852, hosted by [http://texashistory.unt.edu/ the Portal to Texas History].
*[http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rkp04 Handbook of Texas Online: Palo Duro Canyon]
*{{URL|https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/lubbock-tx/cropping-systems-research-laboratory/wind-erosion-and-water-conservation-research/docs/llano/|Public domain images of the Llano Estacado and West Texas}}
*{{Gnis|1375342|Palo Duro State Park}}
*[http://www.pdcanyonpics.com/ Unique Perspectives of Palo Duro Canyon; Pictures and Panoramas]
*[https://texasarchive.org/2012_00875?b=0 Film of Palo Duro Canyon from ''Adventure at Our Door''] on the [[Texas Archive of the Moving Image]]
*[https://www.rusticluxurycabins.com/rustic-luxury-camp/ Rustic Luxury Camp] Lodging by the State Park

{{Protected areas of Texas}}
{{National Natural Landmarks in Texas}}
{{Texas}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Protected areas of Armstrong County, Texas]]
[[Category:Canyons and gorges of Texas]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Randall County, Texas]]
[[Category:Rock formations of Texas]]
[[Category:State parks of Texas]]
[[Category:National Natural Landmarks in Texas]]
[[Category:Geography of Amarillo, Texas]]
[[Category:Civilian Conservation Corps in Texas]]
[[Category:Landforms of Armstrong County, Texas]]
[[Category:Landforms of Randall County, Texas]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1934]]
[[Category:1934 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Canyons and gorges of the United States]]
[[Category:Red River of the South]]