Canyon sits at the edge of the Llano Estacado caprock, 15 miles south of Amarillo, serving as the base for two distinct Panhandle attractions. Palo Duro Canyon — 120 miles long and 820 feet deep, the second-largest canyon in the United States — starts 11 miles east of town. The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in Texas with 3 million artifacts, is on the West Texas A&M campus in Canyon itself.
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Parks & Nature
Palo Duro Canyon State Park Must-see
Randall County · Canyon
Palo Duro Canyon stretches 120 miles across the Panhandle and drops 820 feet from the caprock to the canyon floor — the second-largest canyon in the United States after the Grand Canyon. The state park covers 29,182 acres with 30 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. The Lighthouse Trail (5.6 miles round-trip, 470-foot elevation change) ends at a 310-foot rock pinnacle and is the park's most-hiked route; arrive before 10 a.m. on summer weekends to secure trailhead parking. Day use entry is $8 per person. The outdoor musical drama "Texas" runs each evening June through August inside the canyon amphitheater and requires separate advance tickets ($25–$40).
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History & Museums
Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum Must-see
Randall County · Canyon
The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum is the largest history museum in Texas, with 3 million artifacts on the campus of West Texas A&M University. The collection spans 250 million years of regional geology — including a mounted Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton — plus Comanche and Kiowa material culture, pioneer settler artifacts, oil and gas industry equipment, and an automotive and aircraft transport hall. Admission is $15 for adults. The Pioneer Town exhibit alone, a reconstructed 1800s Texas street with period storefronts, takes about 45 minutes. Allow 2–3 hours for the main building; no reservations required.
Planning Notes
Where to stay: Amarillo, 15 miles north on I-27, has the widest selection of hotels and restaurants and is the practical overnight base. Canyon itself has limited lodging — the Buffalo Inn is the main downtown option. Cabins and campsites inside Palo Duro Canyon State Park book quickly in summer; reserve through Texas Parks & Wildlife online.
Book ahead: Palo Duro Canyon camping and cabin reservations fill up fast on summer and fall weekends — book 4–8 weeks ahead on the Texas Parks & Wildlife site. The outdoor "Texas" musical runs June–August and requires advance tickets ($25–$40). The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum is walk-in with no reservations needed.
Getting around: Canyon and Palo Duro Canyon are car-only destinations. From Amarillo, take I-27 South to Canyon (15 miles), then TX-217 east to the park entrance (11 more miles). A 16-mile paved road runs along the canyon floor to the main trailheads and the outdoor amphitheater.
