Exploring the SECOND LARGEST canyon in the US! (Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Texas)
Exploring the SECOND LARGEST canyon in the US! (Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Texas)
For our final Texas Panhandle adventure, we headed to Palo Duro Canyon State Park, which is the second largest canyon in the United States! You may remember that we visited this park on our maiden voyage in our van, so it was a lot of fun to be back and hike a favorite trail in the park, check out a new trail with expansive views, and explore some caves!
View our guide to hiking the Lighthouse Trail + Palo Duro Canyon tips: https://adventuresofaplusk.com/hiking-the-lighthouse-trail-at-palo-duro-canyon-state-park/
⬇️ Watch more Texas Vlogs
🗺️ Items in this vlog
Peak Design Camera Clip: https://amzn.to/35hdoHf
Garmin InReach Mini: https://amzn.to/2NuiMBW
Shredded Chicken Verde Soup: https://rachaelsgoodeats.com/shredded-chicken-verde-soup/ (we like to add Green Dragon sauce too!)
📍Locations in this vlog
Lookout Point Picnic Site: https://goo.gl/maps/WM5GV6e6LbPR7JWu9
Lighthouse Trail: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/texas/the-lighthouse-trail
Rock Garden Trail: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/texas/rock-garden-trail
Palo Duro Caves Trail: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/texas/palo-duro-caves
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👋🏼 About us
Hi y’all! We’re Adam, Kathryn, and Kona, an adventurous married couple (+ pup!) living on the road in our self-converted sprinter van! You can often find us driving all around the US and Canada, scoping out the best coffee shops, eating tacos and ice cream (we’re a 5+ taco and 2+ scoop household), and enjoying nature.
We help travelers spend less time (and stress!) planning their trip and more time enjoying it! Our detailed travel guides, YouTube videos, and travel resources share the must-visit local eats, popular and off the beaten path sights, and tons of tips to make planning your next adventure a whole lot easier.
Note: We’ve linked a handful of items so you can see exactly which products we take with us. Full disclosure–if you click on these links and make a purchase, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. We will only ever recommend products we truly love, actually use during our adventures, and think you can benefit from too!
Going to Palo Duro in Sept. I must say I am having anxiety just watching you guys go into the cave.
It looks like a nice state park, especially with the views. Me and my family were gonna check out the state park while we stopped over in Amarillo for a day but we didn’t have time since our itinerary was full. Maybe next time if I happen to do the full Route 66 trip, or at least continue the other half of Route 66 from Amarillo to Chicago (where I live) since I already did the Santa Monica to Amarillo portion.
I have to visit this place Palo Duro Canyon
I have lived in Amarillo all my life, 26 years. I have gone here probably 500 times and it still does not get old. The back of the park is the free-rang back packing area that is like 4,000 acres of no roads and minimal trails for people to just go explore and go back-packing for a few nights, that’s my favorite area because there is never many people out there.
Would you recommend going in the fall? I’m thinking of planning a trip up there?
how did you guys find that cave? i just been to the big cave the hole in the wall alomg wolfberry camp area. Which trail is it on or closes to
Rice expands to 3 times its dry volume. It was a good idea, you just used too much.
Being an arm chair traveler I discovered your channel, really enjoying it.
Loved your video. Where do you get the maps on your phone that tracks which way you’re going.
You are strong!!! Make these two hikes in one day is something! We did Lighthouse through GSL and back and were exhausted. Rock Garden next day and I returned not feeling my toes 🙂
Thanks for sharing. Happy trails.
I’ve heard you mention parking at Walmart, Cracker Barrell, BLM spots, rest areas, and pull-offs.
I’ve not yet heard you mention truck stops. I can understand why a truck stop would be at the bottom of the list of places to camp except in an emergency. They’re LOUD, SMELLY, and the asphalt is sticky! HA!
There is a book that you can find INSIDE the truckstop called, Truckstops and Big Truck Parking in the U.S.
That may not be the exact title but it’s close.
There are little known, little used, off-the-beaten-path places to park all over.
For example… I-30, exit 62 (East side of the highway), Phillips 66 with a LARGE LOT! No one is ever there because the BIG truckstop and all the food are on the WEST side of the Interstate.
I parked behind Papa-Bears restaurant, in Chicago, every week for three years and I was the only one there every week. (Their Reuben with Baby Swiss on Marble Rye is off the chain)
Anyway, I’m ramblin and now I’m hungry. Que-sa-dia with fajita chicken from Walmart! It’s the American Way. L8er…
This was filmed before the big winter storm in Texas. We thankfully were back at Kathryn’s parent’s house and we got very lucky with (mostly) keeping power, having heat, and having running water. So many people around Texas were not as lucky though. 😭 Thank you to everyone who checked in on us!
⬇️ Watch our Texas Vlogs ⬇️
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZKRTK1yCEM4vqN0o21kVtlV7VpiAwOz3
Safety is our #1 priority and we want to stress that this adventure, and all future adventures, will be done responsibly and with the health of others in mind. Here are the steps we are taking everyday, including in these videos:
😷Masks and face coverings. We wear these anytime we are near others outside and especially indoors. If we don’t have a mask on in a video, it’s 99% because there was no one around.
❌Not seeing anyone outside of our household. We are currently living with 4 family members and have a strict “do not see anyone outside of the household” family policy. The only interactions we have with others is quickly grabbing takeout or going to the grocery store.
⏰ Exploring early. We have been starting most of our days before sunlight so we can limit our interactions.
🧼 Washing and sanitizing our hands
6️⃣ Keeping our distance. We are trying to stay at least 6 ft from others, which truthfully isn’t always possible (and then we make sure we cover our face).
I have been in those caves before, they are so cool.
Thanks for the video, we stopped by Palo Duro this January on our way to Arizona and it was incredible! Amazingly, we went by the Big Cave once because there were no people there and we thought it must not be the Big Cave because there were no crowds! Your cave hike was much better the Big Cave was a bit of a disappointment.
The zip line was taken out by a tornado yesterday. A few cabins were as well.
just wanted to say hey, you guys got great energy your excitement is contageous and fun. great idea on the rice. thanks. btw – if you get to no. cal. lava beds national park is great for caves – and theyre cool in the summer. indian art on the walls, etc.
In our cabin Relaxing after a long day of hiking at Palo Duro. Fire place going. Drinking hot chocolate and watching your videos :):)
This is absolutely beautiful! I am so grateful for y’all’s videos! I think you’re both precious. I love your adventuress spirits. We are from Texas , too! I’ve learned so much from your videos. You really do your research. We love seeing where y’all eat and your ice cream adventures.
I grew up in Amarillo Texas and spent a lot of my teenage years in Palo Duro Canyon. I am 76 now and it was great to see it through your fresh excited eyes.
Awesome job. Keep up the great videos. We truly enjoy seeing all of your adventures. Maybe one day we will be at the same place you are. We would love to introduce ourselves and thank you in person. Take care – stay healthy, and now go wash your hands.
Cool area. We spent a day there while driving from Arizona to NY
yeah take a right to the lighthouse base near the picnic table and bike rack. it’s like you have to be 7 feet tall to take a left
Binge watching your 2021 videos while I wait for the next Alaska video.
I can’t be the only one who thought this was Pam Beesly/Halpert lol. Amazing videos guys! Loved Visiting Palo duro on my first road trip out west, very underrated destination!
Hey, how come your garmin inreach isn’t on??
Enjoyed your cave exploring
Your audio sounds super crisp! Great video btw 💯
There’s also 30+ miles of world class mountain bike trails. We’ve even hosted the USAC Marathon National Championships in the park before. Awesome video! Thanks for coming to our little part of the world 🙂
Great video, guys! I’m moving to Texas this summer and I can’t wait to check Palo Duro out. I hadn’t heard of it until today. Thanks for sharing!
I e stayed at both Cap Rock and Palo Duro. They are both great but Palo Duro is my favorite
I love your guys video! I always check to see if you guys have been where I’m going to check your recommendations!!! They’re always on point. I live in Amarillo and am so happy y’all got to experience the majestic PDC
Ahh yes, the Interstate 27 rest stop between Hale Center and Abernathy….
Had I known you could have moochdocked in my driveway instead.
Finally managed a visit to Amarillo TX and explored the cave and hiked to the top of the Lighthouses, thanks for the review for our trip, very helpful!
Wonderful share! My wife and I very much enjoy your videos. You might consider getting a couple of BEAR SPRAY cans to carry on these many remote trails. It’s not meant to deter a mountain lion and/or other aggressive animals, but it is certainly better than nothing if you can get off a trigger pull. A set of bells hanging from your packs is another inexpensive measure you may want to add to your gear.
That’s cool that some fans stopped you to say hello. That’s instant gratification right there. Your work is appreciated YAY!
Great production value. You are awesome and shared some great tips. I’m on my way to Palo Duro. Thanks for being you!
Haha I can actually think of one rest area in Texas that could rival the one in the video. It sits above the Pecos River Bridge, north west of Del Rio! Beautiful scenery.
when did you guys visit? Not sure what time of year to go.
Used to go there and rent horses about 40 years ago. Awesome place.
great place to do anything you want. I live in amarillo and would go hiking quite often for several years until injuries put the fun to a hault. I’m finally feeling good and returned today. bought a season pass. GSL was my favorite trail. palo duro canyon is so much fun and the employees always present a great experience
Hello Adventurers😊😊, Palo Duro is absolutely SPECTACULAR! I really enjoyed watching you exploring slot canyons and caves that were super dark. Really cool video👍👍!
We went as kids and loved it. Planning to go with all my kids and grandkids.
2nd largest in the USA wow definitely have to go there your videos are amazing!
I’m assuming you guys don’t have kids, lol.
My favorite hike is to go to the end of the paved roads where they loop around, then park and follow the stream. If you follow it far enough you will get to a barbed wire fence that marks the boundry of the state part of the canyon and private property. it’s a pretty long walk though.
This is my favorite Texas park! My wife and I did the lighthouse hike not knowing she was pregnant! Everything turned out alright! Can’t wait to take my daughter!
Hi, it’s me again from Germany. If you should choose between Big Ben National Park and Palo Duro Canyon State Park; what would you choose? While Planing my trip, I would like the see the Big Bend National Park with a friend from Austin and then make a Roadtrip over El Paso to Albuquerque. But when I now see the pictures from Palo Duro Canyon, I think about to change my route. Austin -> Dallas -> Oklahoma City – Palo Duro Canyon and then to the Monument Valley. What would you suggest? Btw, what about snakes 😉 ? Here in Germany, when you hike, you don’t see not much snakes. And when you see one – it’s not dangerous. Are there a lot of snakes, when you hiking on your trips?
Thinking of taking a road trip to this park from Louisiana. What other sites do you recommend along the way that would be worth checking out?
I love Palo Duro Canyon!