In comparison with beautiful pure wonders like Yellowstone or Zion Nationwide Park, the 2 nationwide parks in Texas might sound somewhat underwhelming and desolate.
Nonetheless, Texas’ most-visited Nationwide Park, Massive Bend Nationwide Park, receives virtually 600,000 guests yearly. Texas’ different nationwide park is Guadalupe Mountains National Park, which is much less widespread than Massive Bend.
Positioned within the Chihuahuan Desert and sitting on the Texas-Mexico border, Big Bend National Park is known for its highly rated hikes, scenic drives, wildlife watching, rafting (when the water ranges within the Rio Grande are excessive sufficient), and tenting. Fashionable easy-to-moderate climbing trails embrace Santa Elena Canyon, the Misplaced Mine Path, and The Window Path.
The downsides of a visit to Massive Bend Nationwide Park embrace its distant location – it’s probably not close to something – and its excessive warmth through the summer season. With its desert local weather and lack of shade, Massive Bend climbing is just not a secure summer season pastime.
As an alternative of Massive Bend, take a look at the lesser-known Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway.
Caprock Canyons Isn’t the Least Visited Texas State Park, However Not Very Many Individuals Know About It
The park receives about 110,000 guests per 12 months
Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway
Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway is positioned 416 miles north of Massive Bend Nationwide Park within the Texas panhandle. Though Caprock Canyons has the identical distant vibe as Massive Bend, it’s in a very completely different a part of Texas with vastly completely different surroundings.
Caprock is about 100 miles away from Lubbock and Amarillo, that are each smaller Texas cities with a lot of providers like motels, eating places, and shops. For those who ever end up in both a type of areas, a facet journey to Caprock Canyons is a should.
One motive Caprock Canyons will get as many guests because it does is its proximity to Texas’ most visited state park, Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Caprock is 90 miles southeast of Palo Duro, often called the “Grand Canyon of the South”, and it’s simple to go to each parks in a single go to, offered Caprock is there.
My household and I found Caprock Canyons on a visit to Palo Duro. We have been having a terrific trip and didn’t need to go dwelling, however we had to take a look at of our Airbnb, so we did a Google seek for different issues to do within the space, and that’s how we realized about Caprock Canyons.
Why Select Caprock Canyons Over Massive Bend?
The parks have the identical distant power however are in numerous elements of the state
Caprock Canyons State Park is simply prettier to have a look at and extra suited to year-round out of doors use, though summers are sizzling, and there’s not a whole lot of shade right here, both.
Guests can camp in each Massive Bend and Caprock, though Massive Bend is tougher to go to for these searching for a hub metropolis the place you’ll be able to spend the evening in a mattress. Caprock Canyons feels – and is – distant, however it isn’t as far faraway from civilization and providers.
One other cool function of Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway is that it’s dwelling to the state bison herd. About 300 bison (the precise quantity can differ) roam freely in Caprock Canyon.
The herd roams freely in about 80 % of the park, which is 12,000 acres. That is one in all the best places to see bison roaming in the wild. Simply do not get too shut!
It is very important all the time
show respect to wildlife when hiking in national parks
(or any parks). Keep in mind these primary bison security ideas earlier than climbing in Caprock:
– Keep 50 yards – suppose half a soccer discipline – away from bison always. For those who encounter them on the park roads, don’t honk or yell at them in try to get them to maneuver.
– When bison really feel threatened or agitated, they could increase their tails like a query mark, pawing on the floor, reducing their heads, or snorting. For those who see these behaviors, depart the world.
– Moms with calves could also be extra threatened by the presence of people.
Issues to do at Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway
From hike and bike trails to scenic drives to water sports activities, there are a selection of out of doors actions right here
Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway has over 90 miles of trails, starting from one to fifteen miles in size and simple to tough. Here is an inventory of obtainable trails:
Speak to a park ranger and seize a path map on the guests heart or obtain one, accessible on-line, earlier than your go to. Cell service will probably be spotty contained in the park.
|
Path |
Distance |
Time |
Problem |
Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Eagle Level Path |
2 miles |
1.5 hrs |
Average |
Expertise the scenic transition from plains to canyons all the way down to the Pure Bridge, the place erosion has carved a pure “tunnel” beneath the path. |
|
Canyon Rim Path |
3 miles |
2.5 hrs |
Average |
Journey alongside the rim overlooking Holmes Creek Canyon and into the mixed-grass prairie to view wildlife of their native habitat. Take pleasure in scenic canyon views because the path continues additional down the Caprock escarpment. |
|
Outdated Ranch Highway |
5.9 miles |
4.5 hrs |
Average |
Named for the park’s ranching heritage, this path provides climbing within the canyonland breaks the place cattle and cowboys as soon as roamed. |
|
Wild Horse Path |
2.3 miles |
1.5 hrs |
Average |
Horseback experience or hike in your descent to the Little Crimson River to absorb spectacular canyon views sculpted by wind and water. |
|
Decrease South Prong Path |
2.2 miles |
2 hrs |
Average |
View the good white veins of gypsum uncovered by the circulate of water alongside the creek mattress as you journey by means of parts of the Little Crimson River. |
|
Decrease North Prong Path |
2.9 miles |
2 hrs |
Average |
Hike or horseback experience this path to see the scenic canyon views of the north facet of the park the place the distant panorama brings you nearer to nature. |
|
Mesa Path |
3.1 miles |
2 hrs |
Average |
As its title implies, this path circles round a flat-topped hill with a vantage level providing spectacular views of the southeast portion of the park. |
|
North Prong Spur |
1.3 miles |
1 hr |
Average |
This multiuse path ascends the “saddle” the place primitive tenting and the Haynes Ridge, Higher North Prong and Decrease North Prong trails will be accessed. |
|
Haynes Ridge Overlook Path |
2.3 miles |
2.5 hrs |
Very Difficult |
Take pleasure in unmatched views of the Caprock panorama on our hottest path main as much as the best portion of the park. This path provides a gratifying climbing problem that’s nicely definitely worth the effort to traverse the 600-foot ascent. |
|
Higher South Prong Path |
2.6 miles |
2 hrs |
Difficult |
ourney on a hike by means of time. See uncovered geologic formations and rock fins thousands and thousands of years within the making, and spectacular canyon views. |
|
Higher North Prong Path |
2 miles |
2 hrs |
Difficult |
Observe this path the place erosion has sculpted lovely hoodoos such because the “Final Dance” into wonderful artworks. Proceed down the path to get pleasure from an oasis of maidenhair ferns and pure springs at scenic “Fern Cave.” |
Guests also can see quite a lot of the park and get nice pictures of the bison from their autos.
We did a couple of quick hikes within the park, and I used to be truthfully somewhat bit nervous on the paths as a result of I used to be afraid to unexpectedly encounter a bison, however I used to be thrilled to see them from my automobile window.
There’s a 120-acre lake contained in the park, Lake Theo. Guests can swim, fish, or herald a no-wake boat. There are additionally equestrian trails and equestrian-designated campgrounds.
There are 100+ campgrounds in Caprock Canyons State Park, some with water and electrical energy hookups. A handful of campgrounds are close to the lake, and there are lots of choices for primitive or hike-in camp spots. There’s no lodge and no cabins.
Crimson Rocks and Bison Or Huge Expanse of Desert Scrub?
15,000 acres versus 801,000 acres is a tough comparability
It’s arduous to match a smaller state park in north Texas to the massive Massive Bend Nationwide Park within the excessive desert, however I’ve been to each and if I needed to suggest one over the opposite, Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway has my vote.
Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway is extra versatile and extra snug to go to through the hotter elements of the 12 months, which is many of the 12 months in Texas. It’s simpler to discover and see every part on a shorter journey the place it takes days and even weeks to see Massive Bend in its entirety.
Caprock provides the distant feeling of being away from civilization with out being utterly remoted. And, though completely different folks discover various things lovely, Caprock is far more scenic, in an “I can’t imagine that’s Texas” form of manner, though a road trip through West Texas will be a whole lot of enjoyable.
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