Palo Duro Canyon

 

Did you know that Palo Duro Canyon is the 2nd largest canyon in the country, next to the Grand Canyon?  

When we arrived at the entrance, they warned us of the extreme heat that day.

Shortly after the entrance we took a little trail to the rim that overlooked the canyon.

We drove to the Visitor's Center and watched a short film about the history of this place.

Such beauty!  

A rainbow of colors in rock.

See that trail below?  We think that is the trail we took later.

We have been to the Grand Canyon a few times; Allen has hiked down into it (and up it) 3 times.  At Palo Duro Canyon, you are able to drive down into it (my preference).

We pulled off the road when we got to the trailhead for the Lighthouse Trail.  People were handing out water.  We had brought some but they gave us more, making sure we had enough for the hike.  They told us the ground temperature was 124°!  

Al wanted to go on the Lighthouse trail.  6 miles.  But in this heat!!!!!!?????  I usually only walk 2 miles a day so didn't see how I was going to do this.

These guys had biked it.

All so breathtaking!  God's beautiful creation!  And really, rock formations from the result of the flood due to man's sin. (Genesis 6).  One of the saddest verses in the Bible is verse 7 from that chapter.  "...for I am sorry I made them."  But He also rescued a remnant!!  After Noah and his family went in the ark, "The fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened....And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered."  Imagine!  And He continues to rescue mankind when we turn to Him. 

We met several hikers that told us that they had begun walking early, before the sunrise, in the cool of the day and were just now returning from the "lighthouse".  We were still a couple of hours away.  

"Make level the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established."  

Proverbs 4:26

I knew I would not be able to make it all the way.  I was feeling spent.  We still had to go back the way we had come in.  I told Allen that if he wanted to go, I would wait for him in the shade.  He said no.  But we walked far enough that we could see them.  

Maybe he can come back with his son or a friend who has more stamina than me and make it all the way!

We had our lunch before turning back the way we came.

This reminded me of Qumran in Israel we had visited, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were located.

Qumran 

Creatures we encountered along the way.

We ran across someone that needed rescuing.  Someone had run for help.  The rangers came in this vehicle and took him out.  We had been told that in June, 40 people had to be rescued due to heat exhaustion.

We made it back to where we had started.

Such cool geology!

We got back into the car and drove around.  We came across some campsites.  I have read that you can even go "glamping".  That would have been fun!

A roadrunner!  Beep!  Beep!

"Allen, there is a little cave on that trail.  It isn't a long hike; let's climb to it!"  Al got a picture of me waving there.

This couple (below) who took our picture told us that they were from Indiana.  They asked where we were from.  "North of Wichita."  "Where?"  We said "Newton".  "Oh, I went to Hesston College in aviation and flew in and out of Newton many times."  Hesston is 7 miles north of us.  A very small town.  

This summer we have met 2 people, this couple here in Texas and one in Florida, who knew about Hesston!  Small world!  

Sad history

This reminded me of Mushroom State Park back in Kansas.

Canyons tend to have flash floods.

This day, the water was at a trickle.

We drove out of the canyon.

We left the canyon and went back to our hotel to take a nap and a dip in the pool.  (The town of Canyon is only 12 miles from Palo Duro.) We visited with the father of a football player at the West Texas A&M University.  He had also been invited to Kansas State, but chose here.

Then we drove back to the Canyon.  We had a Texas style bbq meal.  

Then we watched the outdoor musical, "Texas", which is held in the canyon.  It is put on every summer this year being its' 56th year!  Very professionally done and well worth it!  It is a fictional story about how the state began.

They told us we could not take pictures, so the following ones are ones I found on-line.  

We didn't get back to the hotel until after midnight!  But what an enjoyable day we had at Palo Duro Canyon!!