I have driven on route 40 a number of times in Texas. It is a flat area with many wind mills and dry ranch land. Palo Duro state park is maybe 30 miles south of Amarillo and it is a different world. A large canyon with colored rock and a fair amount of wildlife. Coyotes, turkeys, deer, and the usual desert lizards. There are even some long horned cattle near the entrance. The coyotes were making lots of strange sounds the first two nights. The third night was too windy to hear anything beyond the wind.
There are a number of hiking trails. Plenty to keep me busy for the two days I was there. The first day was nice with temps between 60 and 80. I went on the Givens, Spicer, Lowry trail to the Lighthouse trail. Very interesting area. I saw a Texas Horned Lizard on the GSL trail which was very cool. Kind of a flatter body and little horns on its head. There were bugs for the first time in the trip. Just house flies but they were around. This is likely one of the better hikes in the park. In the afternoon I focused on flatter river walks that do have some shade. The second day was CCC trail and Rock Garden. I was done at 1:00 and that was it for the day as the temps climbed into the 90's. Luckily the campground had shaded areas you could sit. For the first time in the trip I sat for about 5 hours. Read some New Yorkers and all the park data I had picked up in the last few weeks.
The last night it was windy. Maybe 40 mph gusts. Enough to lean the tent over and make lots of noise. Taking the tent down in the dark and wind so I could get an early start driving was interesting. Starting the long, likely not fun, trip back East.
No wifi or cell service at the park.
Arrival at the park 4/26:
4/27. Hot but not too hot.
4/28. OK in the am but too hot to move in pm. 95.
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