Considering its vast area, it might be surprising that Texas is home to just two National Parks. If the U.S. National Park Service ever expressed interest in adding a third, Palo Duro Canyon could be a compelling candidate – assuming the Feds could pry it away from the Texas State Park system.  As the second largest canyon system in the United States, it’s no surprise this spectacular natural wonder is nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Lone Star State.

About a half hour drive south from Amarillo in the Texas panhandle, the summers are predictably shadeless and brutally hot, so take the obvious precautions if hiking during those months. Winter, early spring, and late fall are the best times to hike any scorching trail, and there are plenty of them here – more than 15 spread over some 30 miles around the 30,000-acre State Park.

Our first stop was the Visitor Center just as it was closing, but the manager kindly invited us to look around, use the restrooms, and answered a few questions. It’s a great place to begin and to appreciate the canyon rim view from the car park.

Turning right on Park Road 5 from the Visitor Center, the road winds around a bit for about a mile to a small parking area on the right and the “C.C.C. Trail ¼ mile” sign. This is the entrance to the short Triassic Trail which, in about a quarter mile, intersects with the longer CCC trail at its approximate midpoint (a map of Palo Duro Canyon State Park trails can be downloaded from the park website).

CCC stands for the Civilian Conservation Corps, a New Deal program developed during the President Franklin D. Roosevelt administration to provide jobs for the unemployed during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The CCC built a road to the canyon floor, trails, picnic areas, small foot bridges, cabins, and the Visitor Center.

The Triassic Trail is an easy half mile to the bluff and back over a few rocks and some uneven surfaces, but affords breathtaking views of the canyon. Since the trail hugs the canyon rim, hikers can watch as cars wind down the canyon basin road below where the Pioneer Amphitheater hosts popular outdoor events throughout the year.

Pets are welcome at Palo Duro Canyon State Park, but must be leashed if taken on a hike. Aside from obviously protecting the park’s resources, cactuses dot the Triassic Trail. Dogs off a leash may regret attempting to leave their scent on prickly plants! The park also has an all-terrain wheelchair for use on some trails that may be reserved by contacting the park in advance. It can also be very gusty in the region – nearby Amarillo is one of the windiest cities in the U.S.

Other easy trails include the Pioneer Nature Trail, a short 0.4-mile loop leading to the river, and the scenic 2-mile out-and-back Paseo Del Rio Trail that follows the riverbank. Many more challenging trails await the adventurous, including the CCC Trail that offers a rugged descent into the valley. This historic path, carved into the canyon nearly 90 years ago by the Civilian Conservation Corps, stands as a testament to the men whose efforts helped shape this less-traveled gem of the Texas State Park System.

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama and has written features, columns, and interviews for many newspapers and magazines. His hiking column describes short trails, hikes, and walks from around the country that seniors might enjoy while traveling. See www.ItsAWonderfulHike.com.