If you're coming from Amarillo or points north, start your trip on Texas Highway 207, crossing Palo Duro and Tule Canyons from Claude to Silverton. You'll be treated to some of the most awe-inspiring views in the state. Drive through the gate at Lake Mackenzie and drop a line in, or just enjoy the red rocks and blue water.

Arriving in the heart of Silverton, visit the Old Jail Museum and look around the Briscoe County Courthouse. Drop by the Dairy Queen (marked by the familiar red-and-white logo we natives call a "Texas Stop Sign") for a Hungr-Buster and a Blizzard before hitting the road east to Quitaque (Kitty-qway, as the entry sign explains). The city named by Charles Goodnight, who believed the Indian word meant "end of the trail," is home to the Comanchero Canyons Museum and is the gateway to Caprock Canyons State Park. And it's celebrated in a song of its own (visit Quitaque's Fun Facts page and click the Play link).

Carreta preserved at Comanchero Canyons Museum

Learn more about Quitaque and its history here.

Stop in at the Valley Farm Store for coffee and chat (and an Internet connection) before you head up the road a couple of miles to the entrance of Caprock Canyons State Park. You might catch sight of the buffalo herd right there in the visitor center parking lot -- but don't get too near! Spend some time in the center -- park superintendent Donald Beard will share his wealth of knowledge about bison, and ranger Le'Ann Pigg is a terrific tour guide. Park activities include camping and picnicking, horseback riding, fishing, and wildlife viewing along wide, comfortable trails that were converted from ranch roads.

Caprock Canyons is a beautiful place to hike year-round.

A memorable part of a visit to Caprock Canyons is a walk, bike ride, or horseback trek along the converted rails-to-trails Trailway, which winds for 60 miles along an abandoned roadbed with eight different entry points. Or catch a ride on the park van during a scheduled tour to view the dusk flight of Mexican free-tailed bats from the old Clarity Tunnel, the last railroad tunnel in Texas to close to rail traffic.

Visit Texas Parks & Wildlife's Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway site for maps, events, camping and trails info, and more.

 
Our Texas Fifty-Two-Step Deck of Cards is a sweet deal to help plan your trip. Pre-order yours now--each face summarizes a different county's travel highlights. $5.95 per deck (plus tax & shipping), in custom tuck box. Keep a deck in the glove compartment. Or use them in your favorite game of Texas Hold 'Em or Fifty-Two-Card Pickup!

AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 2015
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