Road Trip Journal: Palo Duro Canyon

July 6:

Yesterday the Epic Road Trip began with a non-photogenic drive through non-scenic areas (though with a few nice spots along the way) to get to the first port of call: Palo Duro Canyon, near Amarillo, TX.

My parents came along as far as Palo Duro. They’ll be heading home tomorrow. This morning we drove around the park road in Palo Duro State Park.

In 1876 Charles Goodnight rode into Palo Duro Canyon from the south, following an old Comanche trail. He realized the canyon walls created a sheltered space ideal for ranching cattle, and with his partner John Adair established what became the JA Ranch. In 1888 Charles left the JA to start his own ranch and pursue other business ventures. The JA remains in operation, owned by the Adair family, to this day.

The Palo Duro is the second largest canyon in the United States (after the Grand one, which I’ll be visiting later in this trip).

(Click on any image for the full-size version.)

After lunch, my plan was to do some hiking while my parents went to the Panhandle Plains Museum.

My first destination was a short walk to the “Cowboy Dugout,” a replica of the type of shelter used by ranch hands at the JA in the 1800s.

Next up, a more serious hike. I headed down the trail to the Lighthouse, Palo Duro’s signature rock formation. It’s 2.7 miles from the trailhead to the Lighthouse and the thermometer at the trailhead did not make it seem likely to be easy…

Good hiking weather. Definitely.

But I strapped on my canteen-backpack and my hat, and set out down the trail.

When writers go wandering off into nature like this, we’re supposed to take along a little journal and write down some lavish descriptions of everything, with some philosophy thrown in about what a transcendent or spiritual or uplifting experience it is.

So here goes: it was real pretty, all right.

I was at the 2.4 mile marker, where this was my view of the lighthouse:

…when I heard thunder rumbling and a line of dark clouds coming over the canyon rim. Some severe thunderstorms were expected later in the evening, it looked like they might be getting here sooner.

I debated whether to turn back or go on. It was only 0.3 miles more to the end of the trail. On the other hand, that meant double that between me and getting back to my car, and there was a lot of thunder in those coming clouds. I decided to stop where I was and turn back.

The clouds did wonders for the temperature on the way back, though— when I passed the thermometer again, 100 degrees had dropped to 75. I just barely made it ahead of the rain: I got sprinkled on for the last half mile or so, and then mere seconds after closing my car door it came down in buckets, with a lot of lightning as well. So I think I chose wisely not continuing that last 0.3 miles.

Tomorrow:

It’s on to Taos, New Mexico for the SMU Writer’s Retreat.