Palo Duro Canyon State Park
State park in Randall County, in the Panhandle Plains region. Established 1934. 27,331 acres by TPWD boundary data.
Palo Duro is the second-largest canyon in the country, about half an hour's drive from Amarillo. The best-known hike goes to the Lighthouse rock formation, 2.8 miles each way; TPWD says you can do it but it's not easy, so plan ahead. You can camp in the canyon or rent a cabin built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and the TEXAS Outdoor Musical plays in the park on summer evenings.
Things to do
Hike to the Lighthouse
The Lighthouse Trail is 2.8 miles one way, rated moderate. TPWD's advice for every trail here: bring plenty of water and travel with a partner.
Ride a horse or bike
More than 30 miles of trails are open to hikers, mountain bikers and riders, and 1,500 acres are set aside for horseback riding. Bring your own horse and its original Coggins papers.
TEXAS Outdoor Musical
The musical runs Tuesdays through Sundays in summer at the Pioneer Amphitheater, with a barbecue dinner before the show. Tickets are sold through the musical, not the park.
Trails
TPWD counts about 30 miles of trails in the park. These are the named trails it lists, with its own distances and ratings.
| Trail | Distance | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCC | 1.4 mi | Difficult | 1.5 hrs. |
| Capitol Peak | 3.5 mi | Moderate | 1.5 hrs. |
| Equestrian | 1.6 mi | Moderate | 2 hrs. |
| Givens, Spicer, Lowry | 3.1 mi | Difficult | 2.5 hrs. |
| Juniper / Cliffside | 2.9 mi | Moderate | 2 hrs. |
| Juniper / Riverside | 1.2 mi | Moderate | 1 hr. |
| Lighthouse | 2.8 mi | Moderate | 2 hrs. |
| Paseo Del Rio | 1.2 mi | Easy | 1 hr. |
| Pioneer Nature | 0.4 mi | Easy | 1/2 hr. |
| Rock Garden | 2.5 mi | Difficult | 2.5 hrs. |
| Rojo Grande | 1.2 mi | Moderate | 1 hr. |
| Rylander Fortress Cliff | 3.7 mi | Easy | 3 hrs. |
| Sunflower | 1.1 mi | Easy | 1 hr. |
| Upper Comanche | 3.3 mi | Difficult | 3 hrs. |
| Lower Comanche | 4.4 mi | Difficult | 4 hrs. |
| Cottonwood | 1.5 mi | Easy | 1.5 hrs. |
| Kiowa | 1.4 mi | Easy | 1.5 hrs. |
| Hackberry Horseshoe | 0.6 mi | Easy | 20 mins. |
Source: TPWD trail list. TPWD doesn’t list trail surfaces. Printable trail map (PDF).
Camping
Campsites with electricity are in the Juniper, Mesquite, Sagebrush and Hackberry areas. There are also water-only sites, hike-in primitive sites, an equestrian camp, three cabins on the rim and four Cow Camp cabins on the canyon floor.
| Site type | Sites | Sleeps | Per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campsites with Electricity (Juniper)Water and electric | 18 | 8 | $26 |
| Campsites with Electricity (Mesquite | Sagebrush)Water and electric | 47 | 8 | $26 |
| Campsites with Electricity (Hackberry)Water and electric | 32 | 8 | $26 |
| Campsites with WaterTent sites with water | 18 | 8 | $16 |
| Primitive Campsites (Hike-in)Primitive | 4 | $12 | |
| Group Camp (Wolfberry)Group | $250 | ||
| Group Camp (Youth)Group | 32 | $50 | |
| Campsites with Water (Equestrian)Equestrian | 10 | 8 | $12 |
| Cabin (Rim | Sorenson)Cabins | 4 | $150 | |
| Cabin (Rim | Goodnight)Cabins | 4 | $125 | |
| Cabin (Rim | Lighthouse)Cabins | 4 | $125 | |
| Cabins (Cow Camp #1, 3 & 4)Cabins | 3 | 4 | $60 |
| Cabin (Cow Camp #2)Cabins | 1 | 2 | $60 |
| Glamping (Luxury Camping)Lodging |
Nightly rates are on top of the daily entrance fee. Book a site with Texas State Parks reservations, or call (512) 389-8900.
Visiting with dogs
Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Like every Texas state park, they can't go into park buildings or designated swimming areas.
Swimming
TPWD doesn't list swimming for this park.
Best time to go
- Busy season
- Summer months during the play season
- January low
- 19°F
- July high
- 92°F
- Rain per year
- 20.6 in.
- Night sky
- Bortle 4
TPWD lists summer, during the musical season, as the busy season. July averages 92°F, and January lows average 19°F. TPWD warns that flash flooding is a serious danger, and trails and backpack campsites can close after wet weather, so check trail status before you go.
Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).
Getting there
Canyon, TX 79015
(806) 488-2227
Open in OpenStreetMap (34.9847, -101.7019)
| From | Approx. drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|
| Amarillo | 33 min | 17 mi |
| Lubbock | 2 hr 3 min | 99 mi |
| Midland | 3 hr 57 min | 206 mi |
| Fort Worth | 6 hr 31 min | 292 mi |
| Dallas | 7 hr 2 min | 321 mi |
| El Paso | 8 hr 4 min | 348 mi |
Nearby parks
- Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway
- Copper Breaks State Park
- Lake Colorado City State Park
- Big Spring State Park
- Lake Arrowhead State Park
Straight-line distance. See every park in the Panhandle Plains.
Questions people ask
How long is the hike to the Lighthouse at Palo Duro Canyon?
The Lighthouse Trail is 2.8 miles one way (5.6 miles round trip). TPWD rates it moderate.
How far is Palo Duro Canyon from Amarillo?
About 33 minutes by car, based on OpenStreetMap routing.
Can you camp in Palo Duro Canyon?
Yes. There are campsites with electricity or water, hike-in primitive sites, equestrian sites, and cabins on the rim and the canyon floor.
Photo credits
- Lighthouse at Palo Duro Canyon State Park.jpg by Patrickhuber100, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- USA - Texas - Palo Duro Canyon State Park - 53030412646.jpg by Alexander Hatley, CC BY 2.0.
- Palo Duro Canyon State Park - 42692166235.jpg by Gail Frederick, CC BY 2.0.
- Palo Duro Canyon State Park - 43596605521.jpg by Gail Frederick, CC BY 2.0.
- USA - Texas - Palo Duro Canyon State Park - 53030901223.jpg by Alexander Hatley, CC BY 2.0.
- Palo Duro Canyon State Park - 43549357862.jpg by Gail Frederick, CC BY 2.0.
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Palo Duro Canyon has current alerts and closures.
- TPWD: Palo Duro Canyon State Park, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD state parks map (amenities, contact), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Public Areas, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Bortle ratings by region, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Palo Duro Canyon State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Palo Duro Canyon State Park cabins and lodging, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Palo Duro Canyon State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Palo Duro Canyon State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Boundaries (area computed from boundary), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikipedia: List of Texas state parks, retrieved October 14, 2026
- OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026