Last updated June 3, 2006

Photos taken May 27, 2006.

Palo Duro Canyon features a medium-sized canyon with colorful exposed rock in its canyon walls. Palo Duro is definitely not on the scale of canyons you find in Arizona or Utah, but it is a good example of the classic eroded landscapes you find across much of the desert southwest. I drove around the park road and hiked on the trail to the lighthouse formation. Here are the photos.

This is the view from the observation point near the park entrance.

Descending into the canyon on the park road.

Now we're in the canyon. The rest of the road photos are of the park road in the canyon.

Low water crossing.

I hiked the lighthouse trail to the lighthouse rock formation. It is 2.5 miles to the lighthouse rock. It is an easy-to-hike trail with gentle elevation except for the last quarter mile which is somewhat steep. The trail provided nice views of the canyon and colorful bluffs. I recommend the hike if you visit Palo Duro.

Approaching the lighthouse formation.

At the lighthouse formation.

The lizard population in the canyon is very healthy. I saw numerous small lizards and this large green lizard.