The One Place In Texas That Must Be Seen To Be Believed
By Katie Lawrence|Published February 13, 2017
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Katie Lawrence
Author
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and began writing for OnlyInYourState in 2015.
Today, Katie writes, edits, and performs several other tasks for OnlyInYourState and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on with a hot cup of coffee, practicing yoga, baking, or exploring the beautiful Lone Star State (in particular, the vast and mystical West Texas desert).
Did y’all know Texas was home to another canyon? Caprock Canyons in Quitaque, Southeast of Amarillo, is the sister to the famous Palo Duro Canyon. It may not compare in size, but it more than makes up for it in beauty, which is why everyone should visit this amazing park at least once.
Caprock Canyons tells a story of thousands of years of wind and water erosion that shaped the beautifully rugged rocks into what they are today.
The park has numerous attractions for visitors to enjoy, including hiking, horseback riding, camping, biking, geocaching, boating, fishing, swimming, and taking a scenic drive.
There are over 90 miles of trails ranging in difficulty from easy, such as the Mesa Trail, to difficult, like the Haynes Ridge Overlook Trail. Length is anywhere from 1 to 15 miles.
Unique rock formations like this are plentiful, allowing you to picture exactly how the powerful force of water carved its way through the area so many eons ago.
Bison abound on many of the paths, and they're quite accustomed to people, so there's no need to worry about startling them by closely admiring their gentle magnificence.
There's plenty of other wildlife throughout the park, such as a bat colony in Clarity Tunnel. If you're brave enough, they're truly amazing creatures to marvel at!
If you choose to stay overnight, you can choose between a site with water and electricity, water only, or primitive. There are also eight equestrian campsites with corrals to keep your four-legged friend safe.
Speaking of horses, there are plenty of areas with safe drinking water for them along the trails. There are no water fountains, however, so each human should come prepared with his/her own water bottle.
Lake Theo, located in the valley, is 120 acres across and perfect for all kinds of water sports. No need to bring your own fishing poles because the park headquarters is well stocked!
All in all, Caprock Canyons is a breathtaking reminder of just how powerful Mother Nature can be and how stunning her creations are. Everyone young, old, rich, poor, and everything in between can appreciate and enjoy this state park.
