1948 Flxible from Robin Williams movie, RV
views are breathtaking. So many colors
and shapes. The 120-miles-long canyon is
second only to the Grand Canyon in the
United States.
Early Spanish explorers named the
canyon
“Palo Duro,” meaning “hard wood”
ike George Strait says, “Amarillo’s on
because
the area is filled with mesquite and
my mind.” There’s a good reason for
juniper
trees.
The cliffs and formations are
Amarillo to be on the mind of any
variations
of
reds
and oranges with some
traveler looking for a unique place to visit.
buff
mixed
in.
The
mesquite trees were
It’s a bit quirky and filled with fun, culture
a
bright
green
and
the
juniper a darker
and food, Texas style. What would you
shade.
expect from a town perched on the original
Each formation in the canyon is differMother Road, Route 66?
ent.
There are hoodoos, mushroom-shaped
Here are some of my favorite Amarillo
columns
of sedimentary rock jutting out
attractions. Start with Palo Duro Canof
the
canyon
floor, as well as ruffle, which
yon State Park. From the flat land around
early
Spanish
explorers
named “Spanish
Amarillo, drive 27 miles southeast to the
Skirts,
”
and
many
unnamed
but beautiful.
canyon. Once you enter the park, the
L
98
fwt
FALL 2016
The flowers are beautiful here also. Not
the big showy display of a botanical garden
or the lushness of a jungle, but the blooms
standing alone on barren sand or rock are
very eye-catching.
The best place to get acquainted with
the park, the canyon and their history is at
the Visitors Center. There is a nice museum
of natural and historical facts about the
canyon.
You can get up close and personal with
the park by staying at its campground
or cabins. If you visit from June through
August, you can see Texas, The State Play of
Texas, at the Pioneer amphitheater, carved
out of a natural basin in the canyon.
On Route 66, RVs are a big deal. So is
Jack Sisemore RV Museum. It’s tucked away