Texas' Gateway To Palo Duro State Park Is A Laid-Back City With Trails, Artsy Vibes, And A Vibrant Downtown

Palo Duro is a wildly underrated state park that's known as Texas' less-crowded Grand Canyon because of its title as the second-largest canyon in the country. Located in the Texas Panhandle, the state park has fantastic hiking, biking, and equestrian trails, as well as stargazing and geocaching. Camping options abound, including "glamping" with elevated accommodations on the canyon's rim. 

One truly unique aspect of the park is the musical performances hosted at the amphitheater. During the summer, the Texas Outdoor Musical is a showstopper, and tells the story of the pioneers settling in the Panhandle in the 1800s with actors wearing bold, time-period-specific costumes. The show features more than 60 actors and musicians, incredible special effects lighting, and a flag-bearer riding along a 600-foot cliff.

About 12 miles from the park is the city of Canyon, Texas, which makes the perfect base for exploring the area, but also offers a host of activities and eclectic dining options in and around the town itself. Visitors to Canyon can get a taste of cowboy culture, with horse stables offering riding lessons and guided tours of working ranches. Not to mention, there's Tex Randall, a giant cowboy statue that's a must-see roadside attraction (and slightly resembles Woody from "Toy Story"). Canyon is also just 20 to 30 minutes from both the Buffalo Lake National Refuge, a wildlife preserve that is excellent for birding, and the city of Amarillo, the largest Texas Panhandle city and a Route 66 pit stop.

Spend a day or two in Canyon and you'll encounter a handful of unique shops and boutiques. Housed in a barn, Sad Monkey Mercantile sells original hats, t-shirts, glassware, patches, and more, all with a signature Texas style. The shop also serves up casual eats like breakfast sandwiches, pizza, and craft beer, plus there's an ice cream shop for something sweeter. If you're looking for Tex-Mex, head to Joe Taco, a local chain that serves up everything from enchiladas and burritos to burgers and wings. Decked out with nostalgic, kitschy decor (including a model train circling overhead), Feldman's Wrong Way Diner is a laid-back gem serving southwest comfort food.

If you packed your hiking shoes and plenty of water, head over to Palo Duro State Park for scenery full of red sandstone cliffs, colorful hoodoos, and more than 16 trails to explore. The six-mile Lighthouse Trail is the most popular in the park, and leads to a unique lighthouse-shaped rock formation. Or try the Caves Trail, which winds past small rock passages. The Rock Garden trail is a more challenging option that involves quite a bit of climbing and is the only floor-to-rim trail in the park. If you're interested in exploring the canyon on horseback, the Palo Duro Riding Stables offers guided trail riding tours, with wranglers in historic 19th-century dress for a glimpse into the past.

When you've had your fill of outdoor pursuits, head to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, which is operated by West Texas A&M University. The museum has a wide range of permanent art galleries and exhibits showcasing frontier history, the story of the Panhandle's petroleum industry, geology, archeology, and much more. There are also rotating exhibitions and a museum store for souvenirs.

Camping at Palo Duro State Park is a real treat, since there are many options available, including rustic cabins. Constructed with stone exteriors, the rim cabins have million-dollar views, and the interiors are fitted with fireplaces, microwaves, queen beds, and other amenities. The canyon's cow camp cabins are much more basic (without bathrooms inside), but offer secluded peace under the stars. There are also yurt-style cabins with porch swings and air conditioning, as well as classic RV and tent camping sites.

Around Canyon, there are numerous other accommodation options, including several chain hotels. For a more authentic stay, the Hudspeth House is a charming but elegant Bed and Breakfast that dates back to 1909 and has beautiful themed rooms adorned with Western artwork. There are a plethora of vacation rentals and cabins, including Dove's Rest Cabin and Rustic Luxury Cabins, which both offer private, upscale units and surreal canyon views without having to sacrifice modern comforts.

To get to Canyon, travelers could fly into the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, where rental cars are available. Canyon is located off Route 87, about 30 minutes away from Amarillo. If you're in the area around Amarillo and want to explore another gem in the Texas Panhandle, the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument is an underrated national park site with archeological treasures that's worth adding to your road trip itinerary. About an hour from Canyon, the colorful flint quarries are truly unique, and the park also contains cliffside petroglyph carvings that can be experienced on a ranger-led hike.