Welcome back! Let us continue day one of our Palo Duro adventure where we left off!
After taking some time to cool down and recover from that “easy” hike with the ranger, we spent a little time around the Mack Dick pavilion area at the base of the canyon. Unlike the Grand Canyon, at Palo Duro, you can drive down into the canyon and explore from there.
As the day began to turn to early evening, clouds began forming once again, making the temperatures not as high, and providing some much-needed shade. I really wish they had been around earlier.
As we ventured out to see a little more of what the canyon had to offer, we began to make plans for the next few days. We made our way around the area of the pavilion on foot taking several photographs, and once that was well scouted, we drove the park road that makes its way through the base of the canyon. It should be noted however, that the state park only covers a small portion of the actual canyon and stretches about 120 miles long and 20 miles wide. Palo Duro canyon is 2nd only to the Grand Canyon in size in the US.
Checking out the park it became clear why this is considered one of Texas’ hidden gems. The colors are amazing, especially the red rocks contrasted with the blue sky. Add the fact that this year has seen higher than average rainfall, there is also much more green than usual, making for an even larger gamut of colors to behold.
The views, just about anywhere in the canyon, are something to behold. Whether you find yourself on the high ground looking down into the canyon, or on the floor looking up out of the canyon, the vistas are beautiful.
History of the canyon according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife website:
People have inhabited Palo Duro Canyon for [several thousand] years. The Clovis and Folsom peoples first lived in the canyon and hunted large herds of mammoth and giant bison.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/palo-duro-canyon/park_history
Other cultures, such as the Apache, Comanche, and Kiowa, used the canyon’s plentiful resources more recently.
These early cultures left behind rock art and bedrock mortars, where they ground mesquite beans and roots for food.
Early Spanish explorers probably discovered the canyon, naming it Palo Duro, Spanish for hard wood.
As mentioned before, the CCC played a large part in the creation of this park. Also from the TPWD’s web site:
President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933. The CCC provided jobs and job skills by hiring young men to work on conservation projects. The program enrolled men between the ages of 17 and 25 who qualified for public assistance. They earned clothing, food, medical care and $30 a month; they sent most of that home to their families.
ibid.
The park opened to the public in 1938 and is currently the second largest state park in Texas, covering about 28,000 acres. Of course, the biggest is Big Bend Ranch state park, which covers a whopping 300,000 acres, over ten times the size here. That one is still on our list and we’ll make it there someday, Lord willing.
As the sun began to drop in the sky, we decided it was time to head back and nourish ourselves. It was quite the first day filled with wonder, and a couple of mistakes, and we wanted to be prepared for tomorrow. We planned a hike to the Lighthouse monument, which is about a 6-mile round trip. Striving to not recreate today’s mistakes, we will be starting as near to sunrise as we can as well as carrying plenty of water. We will also be preparing for the brutal UV rays of the sun.
Tomorrow will be an early one for sure, so off to dinner and bed to prepare. Have to make sure the camera batteries are charged and ready to go. Be sure to check back for part 3 to see if we survived.
Michael & Karen
All word and images copyright 2003, MHampton Photography