I have done some research on texags and found some good info on Palo Duro but have not seen much on Caprock Canyons.

Planning to make a family trip with pups to both of these over spring break. Also a day taking the jeep through Merus to break up the hiking/exploring.

Any suggestions on things to consider or must-do hikes/events? Is two full days plenty for Palo Duro? Is two days plenty for Caprock Canyons? Two days too much for these parks?

Thanks in advance

Have you been to Merus before?

This will be the first time

Look on the Panhandle/South Plains board. There is a small older thread on Caprock Canyons.

Caprock Canyons is a great place to relax. Probably less "to do". At PD, you can go into Canyon or Amarillo for a restaurant or the fantastic museum in Canyon

CC, enjoy the scenery and hiking, but not much in the way of activities. Last time we were there, (Quitaque)there was a small diner in a shop downtown, but the main restaurant had closed. The grocery store in town is surprisingly well stocked. And a convenience store for gas.

There is a really nice small museum in Quitaque, but normally just open on Saturday. I'll try to find the number later we got from one of the docents, he said he would come down and open it most anytime.

If you bike, the rails to trails to Clarity tunnel is an easy out and back, and well worth your time.

If you are a fan of Bob Wills, check to see if the museum in nearby Turkey is open.

Spring Break is a busy time at both parks, and be prepared for weather ranging from spectacular, still and beautiful with pleasant temperatures. Or it might be a dust storm with 60mph winds. Or a heat wave. Or a blizzard.

All in one day

We visited caprock Canyon in 2023. I loved it and it is my favorite state park so far. Not near as crowded as Palo Duro but very beautiful. We stayed at the hotel in Turkey Texas and they had a restaurant which was very good.

Hotel Turkey has some good musical acts pass through. Be sure to check out their calendar.

My old thread on CC

https://texags.com/forums/39/topics/2964937

Thank yall much for the info!

Would love to take the family here sometime. My roots are in the panhandle but I have not been since driving through and staying in Amarillo a couple of nights back in 2019.

If you choose Palo Duro book a cabin at Doves Rest. We took 3 teenage boys and they loved it. We could sit out in the patio in the evenings and look over Palo Duro.

Dove's Rest are definitely the best accomodations outside the park. Otherwise, your options in the park are tent, RV, or CCC Depression-era cabins.

Those are mostly pretty primitive, but there are 2-3 on the canyon rim with a view that is unmatched.



There is a company who does "glamping"

https://www.paloduroglamping.com/




Back to Caprock Canyons and Quitaque, the museum is COMANCHERO CANYONS MUSEUM, and is very good. Even has artifacts from the Texas-Santa Fe expedition that crossed near Quitaque in 1841.

https://comancherocanyons.org/

Regarding the museum in Quitaque, it is only open for a few hours on Saturday. However, one of the docents gave us a card and said he'd be willing to open up at other times.

So if you are going to be at Caprock Canyons, and absolutely can't be there on Saturday for normal hours, email me, and I will give you his name and number.

My email is my Texags user name @hotmail,com

saving this thread awesome recs

One more thing I just ran across. The State Park is a few miles north of Quitaque. A few miles southwest is a place called Pole Canyon Ranch. Six thousand acres of private land that allows hiking, biking, horseback riding, RV spots, etc

https://polecanyon.com/

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Located only 8 miles southwest of Quitaque, Texas and approximately 100 miles from Amarillo, Pole Canyon Ranch is accessible yet remote from the busy outside world. The ranch is managed by Phil and Lynnette Barefield, who is the granddaughter of Jim Taylor, who established the ranch in 1911. He and his brother John rode their horses into this area in December of 1910 in search of land.

The ranch now encompasses about 6,000 acres of beautiful canyonlands with running water in several of the spring-fed creeks. Abundant game and beautiful scenery make each excursion a memorable adventure. Opening to the public in 2004, the ranch is now a destination attraction for folks all over the United State

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Excellent suggestions! Thank you

Small diner in this store in Quitaque. We thought it was pretty good. My brother ('74, from Hale Center) has a few photos for sale in the back.

https://www.coffeemillandmercantile.com/menu

The grocery store is surprisingly well stocked for a town of this size

https://merrellfood.com/

It has probably been mentioned but if they still perform the "Texas" show at the outdoor amphitheater, I highly recommend attending that. It has been years since we went but it was a very unique experience.

"Texas!" Is still going….in the summer. OP is headed up for Spring Break

For those that have been to Caprock Canyon, any recommendations on the North Prong/South Prong Primitive/South Prong Tent Camping areas? We're doing an overnight backpacking trip and trying to figure out which campground will give us the best views and experience? We'll ultimately hike up to Fern Cave and then back out so either place works. We also don't mind camping at one place (like south prong tent camping area) then driving to the trailhead by North Prong in the morning to start hiking.

What I know of the area, keeping in mind I don't tent camp, and don't hike much, either...

I'd say the south prong would be better.

And it's last minute, but just saw this from nearby Turkey

https://hotelturkeytexas.com/event/caprock-cowboy-fandango/

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Well y'all! We have been talking about a Cowboy Weekend at Hotel Turkey for a long time and with the help of our friends we are finally making it happen!!
The Inaugural Caprock Cowboy Fandango at Hotel Turkey is set to commence February 28th through March 2nd!! This weekend will be a celebration of the working cowboy and the art it inspires! From some of the best songwriters working to artisans that capture the quintessential cowboy spirit, Hotel Turkey will be teaming with cowboys and western artists of all walks Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
With the help of our good friend Zack McGinn, we have put together a lineup of songwriters that are both working cowboys and great appreciaters of the culture that the cowboy life inspires. Joining Zack will be the likes of Jimmy Burson, Charlie Stout, Haystack Foster, Seth Ward, Matt Daniel, Will Boedeker, Cade Demere, and more!! So if you can, we would love for you to join us for all three days of music. Tentative schedule is below and final schedule announcements will be made soon!!
Friday February 28th | $15
6pm Song Swap
7:30pm Song Swap
9pm Jimmy Burson Headlining
Saturday March 1st | $20
Chuckwagon Brunch 10am
Music 11am-1pm
Back Patio
5pm Song Swap
7pm Song Swap
9pm Zack McGinn Headlining
Sunday March 2nd | $10
Gospel Services 10am Music by Charlie Stout
Chuckwagon Brunch 11am -2pm
Songswap 11am-12:30pm Zack McGinn | Haystack Foster Song Swap
Songswap 12:30pm-3pm Song Swap

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The last time we went to Palo Duro, we did the sad monkey train. It has been a while.

HECUBUS said:

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The last time we went to Palo Duro, we did the sad monkey train. It has been a while.

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No kidding. It was booted from the park like 30 years ago. Fortunately, it was saved and now sits a block south of the Courthouse in downtown Canyon.

"Sit" being the operative word

Other than a thrilling ride, this was the big reward…


This photo from the train was from '82 or '83. Angle is bad and the arrow is off, but the train was racing. Likely a disposable camera.

https://www.myhighplains.com/news/happier-times-for-the-sad-monkey-railroad/

Terrible news about PPH Museum

https://texags.com/forums/49/topics/3534817

https://www.wtamu.edu/news/2025/03/wendler-panhandle-plains-historical-museum-to-close-immediately-following-state-fire-marshal-report.html

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CANYON, Texas Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum is closed to the public until further notice to address fire and life safety concerns, West Texas A&M University officials announced today.

WT President Walter V. Wendler made the decision to close the building following a recent inspection by the state fire marshal's office, which identified numerous and ongoing safety issues.

"We cannot ignore the seriousness of the fire and life safety risks posed by the existing museum buildings," Wendler said. "Since my arrival, I have been working to find solutions and address the ongoing challenges with the museum building. Unfortunately, we have not yet found a workable solution."

The violations pose significant safety risks and must be addressed promptly, said Chuck Allen, assistant state fire marshal.

"We have spoken with President Wendler about the ongoing violations and problems with the existing museum structures," Allen said. "President Wendler's decision to close the museum while corrective action is taken is in accordance with the State Fire Marshal's Office recommendation."

Some of the fire marshal's findings already have been corrected. However, other building issues will require substantial funding.

"The museum staff has worked diligently to address immediately solvable issues," said Heather Friemel, interim executive director of the Cultural Foundation of the Texas Panhandle, which oversees the museum under the umbrella of WT.

Other issues like sprinkling the facility, eliminating dead-end hallways and ensuring that all building areas have immediately accessible exits require more extensive and costly renovations to the facilities.
WT, which owns the buildings in which the Panhandle-Plains Historical Society's collection is displayed and stored, hired an engineering firm to present solutions and costs to address the fire marshal's report and other deferred maintenance issues. The total cost for needed renovations and repairs totaled almost $100 million.

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