PANHANDLE PLAINS
THE BREATHTAKING LANDSCAPES AND BRILLIANTLY PAINTED SKYSCAPES ARE ALL INDICATIVE OF THIS REGION. The rugged beauty of the Panhandle Plains region has not been tamed. It is home to wide expanses, deep canyons and bright, star-fi lled skies. See natural wonders such as Palo Duro Canyon, with walls that plunge nearly 1,000 feet. Looking out over the range, it is easy to imagine what life was like on the frontier. The region’s story is richly told through museums, forts and ruins that whisper reminders of days gone by. You’ll hear a variety of stories from pioneer times up to the past century. While communities honor their pasts, the region also has all of the contemporary attractions to appreciate. So, enjoy all that unfolds before you in the Panhandle Plains, where there’s always more to see just over the horizon.
BIG SKY COUNTRY DEEP AND WIDE Perhaps one of the most iconic attributes
of the Panhandle—and Texas —is Palo Duro Canyon. At 120 miles long, about 20 miles wide and more than 800 feet deep, it’s the second largest canyon in the United States, hence its nickname, “T e Grand Canyon of Texas.” T e “Lighthouse” formation, per- haps the most recognizable part of the can- yon, is more than 100 feet tall and can be ac- cessed by a 2-hour trail. T e dramatic landscapes of the canyon
and Palo Duro Canyon State Park provide a backdrop for hiking, wildlife watching, mountain biking, horseback riding, camp- ing and amazing views.
S I GH T S The
PALO DURO CANYON STATE PARK NATL. RANCHING HERITAGE CTR. CAPROCK CANYONS STATE PARK
PANHANDLE PLAINS HIST. MUSEUM KWAHADI MUSEUM
1 2 3 4 5
T e state park’s outdoor Pioneer Amphi-
theater sets the stage for the spectacular mu- sical TEXAS, the state’s offi cial play, which brings the Panhandle in the 1800s back to life. First performed in 1966 (and revised a few times since), the musical runs Tues- day through Sunday from Memorial Day though mid-August. Additional shows may be scheduled. Just north of Quitaque, Caprock Can-
yons State Park and Trailway is an amazing 15,314-acre park, which is home to the state’s offi cial bison herd and a 64-mile bike trail. It off ers an exciting way to explore the natural beauty of the Panhandle, with opportunities for horseback riding, hiking, mountain bik- ing, camping, boating, fi shing and swimming. Guided tours through the park also are available, as are more than 90 miles of trails rang- ing from easy to challenging. Another Panhandle gem is Pos-
sum Kingdom State Park near Breckenridge, which lies in the heart of the Palo Pinto Mountains. It borders the clear-blue Possum Kingdom Lake, which is perfect for swimming, scuba diving or snorkel- ing adventures. Camping, hiking, fi shing and biking also are popular. Lake Meredith National Rec-
Texas’ officlal Longhorn herd resides primarily at Fort Griffin State Historic Site. 184 PHOTO: MICHAEL A. MURPHY/TXDOT
reation Area, just north of Ama- rillo, is an incredible place to ex- plore several canyon systems, go hiking through McBride Canyon or boating in Lake Meredith or on the Canadian River.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224 |
Page 225 |
Page 226 |
Page 227 |
Page 228 |
Page 229 |
Page 230 |
Page 231 |
Page 232 |
Page 233 |
Page 234 |
Page 235 |
Page 236 |
Page 237 |
Page 238 |
Page 239 |
Page 240 |
Page 241 |
Page 242 |
Page 243 |
Page 244 |
Page 245 |
Page 246 |
Page 247 |
Page 248 |
Page 249 |
Page 250 |
Page 251 |
Page 252 |
Page 253 |
Page 254 |
Page 255 |
Page 256 |
Page 257 |
Page 258 |
Page 259 |
Page 260 |
Page 261 |
Page 262 |
Page 263 |
Page 264 |
Page 265 |
Page 266 |
Page 267 |
Page 268
