We're thinking about a trip out to Palo Duro in a couple weeks. Neither of us have ever been. Any suggestions or ideas of things in particular to do or see?

TIA

Awesome place to visit and canyonag will have a bunch of links for you.

In mid March plan for temps from the 20s to the 80s. Maybe even in same day.

Have fun and send post a report.

Also check out caprock canyons SP

Lots of hiking. Be sure to do the lighthouse trail.

Not sure if any of the chuckwagon breakfast or horseback riding outfitters are open this time of year.

PD Canyon is awesome. Living in Amarillo, sometimes you forget how cool it really is. We go to church in Canyon, and sometimes we will randomly decide to run down in the canyon for a quick picnic lunch. I'm not sure how long you have scheduled, but there are TONS of hiking trails and you are probably picking great weather if the wind is not too strong.

As another suggested, check out Caprock Canyon State Park, and if you have time, also check out Copper Breaks State Park. Both are fun. When we were at Copper Breaks last, we saw a huge group of hogs running down the same hiking trail we were on, so keep your eyes open.

CanyonAg will surely be along shortly and will certainly give great info on this part of the world.

Looking forward to more comments. Going with my wife and my parents for a few days in early June.

THX!

Wes '87

If you plan on cooking outdoors or having a campfire, you might call the park headquarters and see if they are still under a burn ban. The last time we were there, they did not allow open flames. And believe me, they don't always put that sort of information on their website.......

Excellent museum at Canyon
http://www.panhandleplains.org/pages/home.asp

cross post on Panhandle board to catch CanyonAg77 attention if he doesn't show up over here

there are several threads over there too

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Excellent museum at Canyon
http://www.panhandleplains.org/pages/home.asp

cross post on Panhandle board to catch CanyonAg77 attention if he doesn't show up over here

there are several threads over there too

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I second this. I could have spent 2 hours in the gun section alone. They were doing some pretty extensive remodeling when we went last year, it may be finished. Allow for at least 5-6 hours to go through the museum. It is worth it.

Did I see my Bat Signal? Excellent choice PDCSP should be on every Texan's bucket list.

Unfortunately, I'm in Newer Mexico right now and on mobile. So it's hard to link for you. If you or someone else on a desktop will search the Panhandle forum, I know there are some good links.

I'll check in later when I at least have access to an iPad.

And if anyone is a history buff concerning the Red River Wars, you recall Billy Dixon and the long shot he took at Adobe Walls. That rifle is in the Musem.

Also in the museum is the oldest production Ford car, serial number 28.

Missing the panhandle. Need to visit PD canyon again.

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And if anyone is a history buff concerning the Red River Wars, you recall Billy Dixon and the long shot he took at Adobe Walls. That rifle is in the Musem.

Also in the museum is the oldest production Ford car, serial number 28.

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and if I remember right, Billy Dixon's Medal of Honor from the Buffalo Wallow Fight that the US tried to take away from him (because he was a civilian) and he refused to return .......

do set aside a couple of hours to see what they have going on at PPM

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Did I see my Bat Signal? Excellent choice PDCSP should be on every Texan's bucket list.

Unfortunately, I'm in Newer Mexico right now and on mobile. So it's hard to link for you. If you or someone else on a desktop will search the Panhandle forum, I know there are some good links.

I'll check in later when I at least have access to an iPad.

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Here's a thread with some info and links to more threads:

Palo Duro thread

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I'll be up there next week. We have no camping reservations so we're looking at BLM lands to camp in.

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BLM? You must mean Black Lives Matter, because there's no Bureau of Land Management here.

I'm a bit biased but here's a link to some great photos of the canyon. Hopefully will help you build up the anticipation of visiting.

http://psventuresinc.com/canyon.php

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I'll be up there next week. We have no camping reservations so we're looking at BLM lands to camp in.

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BLM? You must mean Black Lives Matter, because there's no Bureau of Land Management here.

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Not much of either up there, really.

What I recall is that an Army board at some point, maybe the 1920s, reviewed all awarded MOHs, and rescinded many. All civilian medals were revoked, including the only woman, a Civil War nurse. Dixon, a civilian scout, lost his, as well. He and all 5 other veterans of the Buffalo Wallow battle were awarded MOHs. Perhaps the only time in history that everyone in a unit was awarded. Also in the RR War, one man received his second MOH, the first coming in the Civil War.

I think I recall that Dixon's medal was reinstated later. I saw the medal in the museum a few years ago. I don't think it is normally on display, but it was brought out for a 'hidden treasures' exhibition.

So Buffalo Lake is an interesting place. As I recall, there are no hookups, but there are some bathrooms. There are seldom any campers out there. It beats a Walmart parking lot, but it is not real scenic. And it would be a 30 mile drive to Palo Duro.

Caprock Canyons is much the same scenery as PD, but a long way from stores and restaurants. It has been less crowded than PD, but I think it is being discovered. It is the home of the state buffalo herd.

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Here's a thread with some info and links to more threads:

Palo Duro thread

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Thank you, that's probably the best link right now, especially with the links to other threads. As I said, I need to do a definitive thread for future reference.

SoulSlave, I've seen her photos. She spends a lot of time at PD these days it appears.

Cadillac Ranch!

Also, go for the big steak challenge at the Big Texan Steak Ranch!

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Cadillac Ranch!

Also, go for the big steak challenge at the Big Texan Steak Ranch!

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It's a trap!

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Cadillac Ranch!

Also, go for the big steak challenge at the Big Texan Steak Ranch!

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The two worst things you can do in the Panhandle, after trying to run drugs down I-40 past Groom.

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The ribeye they used to make for the Texas show in the canyon wasn't bad. I wouldn't spend the money on that monstrosity though - who wants to try to eat a big roast like that?

I was actually there when a couple did it. It was a little old man and a woman, and they sat on the stage and over the course of the hour BOTH of them put their own 72 ounce "steak" away, along with all the trimmings. Funniest thing I ever saw.

.The guy that runs the Big Texan is smart and a good supporter of the community. The "72oz steak" is a great gimmick that brings in tons of national publicity. I don't want to sound like I have anything against the place. If you want to go to say you've been there, fine. But my experience (drug there by out-of-town-guests) is that it is a mid level steak for a premium price.

I just laugh at the Cadillac Ranch. A junkyard in a wheat field, covered with graffiti. This is an attraction?

Cadillac Ranch has to be something special! It's in a Chris Ledoux song!

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.The guy that runs the Big Texan is smart and a good supporter of the community. The "72oz steak" is a great gimmick that brings in tons of national publicity. I don't want to sound like I have anything against the place. If you want to go to say you've been there, fine. But my experience (drug there by out-of-town-guests) is that it is a mid level steak for a premium price.

I just laugh at the Cadillac Ranch. A junkyard in a wheat field, covered with graffiti. This is an attraction?

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Well, when passing through we've always looked a the Big Texan as a tourist attraction where we'd pay a bit more, but the kids would have fun with all the music and hoopla. And I wasn't kidding about the ribeye - the one they cook on the grills down at the amphitheater and serve with sides, cobbler, and tea was a darn good dinner before the show, even if overpriced.

I've never been to the Cadillac Ranch. Looks like I'm not missing much.

Eat at Tyler's BBQ, Coyote Bluff or Blue Sky. Drive on over to Endee NM and go through the free car museum, instead.

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.The guy that runs the Big Texan is smart and a good supporter of the community. The "72oz steak" is a great gimmick that brings in tons of national publicity. I don't want to sound like I have anything against the place. If you want to go to say you've been there, fine. But my experience (drug there by out-of-town-guests) is that it is a mid level steak for a premium price.

I just laugh at the Cadillac Ranch. A junkyard in a wheat field, covered with graffiti. This is an attraction?

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Seldom went to the Big Texan in my 30 yrs in Amarillo. You do get a "free" steak on your birthday that's worth the price (nothing; zero!).

I find Combine Ranch more interesting on the Old Claude Highway. I drove past the Cadillac Ranch every day twice on my way to/from work in Bushland. It's move from nearer Soncy Rd. to Hope Rd. was interesting to watch.

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Eat at Tyler's BBQ, Coyote Bluff or Blue Sky. Drive on over to Endee NM and go through the free car museum, instead. I'm

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We ate at Tyler's last time we stayed the night in Amarillo. Our youngest was a baby then, and I picked up the bbq and brought it back to the hotel. We had a ton of leftovers, and put them in the fridge. I woke up smelling that stuff and starving, and had a second helping at about 2 in the morning.

Excellent ribs and a pretty good brisket, if I recall correctly.

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Eat at Tyler's BBQ, Coyote Bluff or Blue Sky. Drive on over to Endee NM and go through the free car museum, instead. I'm

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I somehow missed finding Tyler's during my Amarillo life. Read good reviews about it. Blue Sky was our go to Burger choice although Coyote Bluff was good but further away from our home then. Most of Amarillo BBQ (Suphen's, Catlie Call; both now gone, I think; or Dyer's) weren't exciting. Now I live close the Texas BBQ Capital (Austin, Taylor, Lockhart).

Tyler's is pretty new. And if you come back, eat lunch or an early dinner. He only cooks enough for each day's service. We he runs out that evening, that's it. So latecomers have less choice or find the door closed.

Be careful calling the "Buffalo Herd". My 8 year old chose to go camping for his birthday and we picked Caprock Canyon State Park last year. They had a little informative program for the kids that weekend where one of the Park staff was VERY quick to correct that they are Bison, NOT Buffalo. Seemed like a strange thing to say to a young kid celebrating his birthday.

It was still a blast, we got to go camping instead of a traditional birthday party.