Fig. 31. The Lighthouse, an erosional remnant and the “trademark” of Palo Duro Canyon, exhibits well the geologic phenomenon of differential erosion (p. 31).
A loop marks the end of Park Road 5 and the conclusion of the scenic drive. Located in this area are a number of fine camping areas, picnic grounds, the old stone cottages called the “Cow Cabins,” and rest rooms with shower facilities (fig. 36).
Fig. 32. The “dome” on Capitol Peak is a well-known canyon landmark. Composed of the Tecovas and Quartermaster Formations, the profile of Capitol Peak is referred to as the Sleeping Indian. (The “Indian’s” head can be seen in the right background.)
Fig. 33. Fortress Cliff is a prominent feature on the eastern rim of the canyon. Seen here are the precipitous cliffs developed in the Ogallala caliche (p. 26) and the sandstones and shales of the Trujillo Formation.
Fig. 34. The Rock Garden is a jumbled mass of Trujillo sandstone boulders that mark the site of an ancient landslide.
There are a number of established trails for the visitor who is interested in hiking. The more popular trails include those to the Spanish Skirts and Catarina Cave (p. 37), the Devil’s Tombstone, the Lighthouse (p. 39), and the Devil’s Slide (p. 40). Park rangers will be glad to provide more complete information about these and other trails within the canyon.
Saddle horses can be rented at the stables located east of the road near the Pioneer Amphitheatre. There are a number of trail rides that can be taken on well-trained horses accustomed to the rugged terrain of the canyon. Additional information may be obtained from the attendants at the stable.
An ample number of well-developed camping and picnic areas are scattered throughout the canyon. Most are located adjacent to or a short distance from Park Road 5; they are equipped with outdoor fireplaces and tables. Running water, rest rooms, and showers are provided in certain areas. Campsites are available on a first-come first-served basis, and there is a 10-day limit on overnight camping. Detailed information on camping regulations and camping areas is available from a park ranger or at the Entrance Station.
Palo Duro Canyon offers many opportunities for both amateur and professional photography. The multi-colored rock formations, erosional land-forms, and plants and animals offer limitless possibilities to the creative and imaginative photographer. Color shots are especially effective, but a haze filter will be helpful when photographing distant objects. Morning and afternoon are the best times for picture taking as the mid-day sun is “flat” and lends little perspective to the canyon scene.
Fig. 35. The Devil’s Slide in the south end of the park is an eroded spur of Tecovas shales. Some of the “slides” made by visitors are indicated by the arrow.
Fig. 36. Outcrops of the Quartermaster (1) and Tecovas (2) Formations provide a geological backdrop for this campsite near the turnaround at the end of Park Road 5.
Fig. 37. Located on the campus of West Texas State University in Canyon, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum has many exhibits of historical and geological interest that will enhance one’s visit to Palo Duro Canyon State Park. (Courtesy Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum.)
The visitor to Palo Duro Canyon State Park would do well to start his visit at the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum located on the campus of West Texas State University in Canyon (fig. 37). Here all phases of history—recent, archeologic, and geologic—are depicted in the various halls. In the Hall of Pre-History are the fossilized remains and reconstructions of ancient animals that were entombed in the canyon walls as long as 200 million years ago. Elsewhere there are exhibits and dioramas that portray human history in the Palo Duro area. Beginning with the oldest known evidence of human occupation about 12,000 years ago, there is a succession of displays that tell the story of man in the Palo Duro—High Plains region. These exhibits follow man from the early Indians living in stone shelters, to the horse-using nomadic plains Indians who relied heavily on the great herds of bison and who fought a desperate but losing battle to save their homeland from invasion by the white man. Here, too, is the story of the coming of the Spanish conquistadores, the comancheros (see p. 6), and the advent of the anglican settler. All are portrayed by means of artifacts that represent the different cultures of the region’s colorful past.
The major theme of the Museum is the history of the High Plains during the period of the cattle industry of the open range. One entire hall is devoted to the display of saddles, spurs, lariats, barbed wire, branding irons, a chuck wagon, and a life size model of a typical cowboy of the Old West. The Museum also houses one of the nation’s finest collections of guns of the Old West, the Old World, and guns of today. Other highlights include scale models depicting scenes of the Old West, exhibits of typical rooms from pioneer homes furnished with furniture of that era, a fine assortment of antique vehicles, and famous collections of Western art.
The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum is easily reached from any of the major highways that pass through Canyon. It is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays and from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sundays.
Brand, J. P. (1956) Triassic System, in Eastern Llano Estacado and adjoining Osage Plains: West Texas Geol. Soc. and Lubbock Geol. Soc., Guidebook, Spring Field Trip, April 6-7, 1956, pp. 8-9.
Cummins, W. F. (1890) The Permian of Texas and its overlying beds: Texas Geol. Survey 1st Ann. Rept. (1889), pp. 183-197.
—— (1893) Notes on the geology of northwestern Texas: Texas Geol. Survey 4th Ann. Rept. (1892), pt. 1, pp. 177-238.
Drake, N. F. (1892) Stratigraphy of the Triassic formations of northeast Texas: Texas Geol. Survey 3rd Ann. Rept. (1891), pp. 225-247.
Evans, G. L. (1949) Upper Cenozoic of the High Plains: West Texas Geol. Soc. and New Mexico Geol. Soc., Guidebook for Field Trip No. 2, November 9, 1949, pp. 1-9.
*——, and Meade, G. E. (1945) Quaternary of the Texas High Plains, in Contributions to Geology, 1944: Univ. Texas Pub. 4401, pp. 485-507.
*Frye, J. C., and Leonard, A. B. (1957) Studies of Cenozoic geology along eastern margin of Texas High Plains, Armstrong to Howard counties: Univ. Texas, Bur. Econ. Geol. Rept. Inves. No. 32, 62 pp.
*——, and —— (1959) Correlation of the Ogallala Formation (Neogene) in western Texas with type localities in Nebraska: Univ. Texas, Bur. Econ. Geol. Rept. Inves. No. 39, 46 pp.
*——, and —— (1964) Relation of Ogallala Formation to the southern High Plains in Texas: Univ. Texas, Bur. Econ. Geol. Rept. Inves. No. 51, 25 pp.
*Girard, R. M. (1959) Bibliography and index of Texas geology: Univ. Texas Pub. 5910, 238 pp.
*—— (1964) Texas rocks and minerals: Univ. Texas, Bur. Econ. Geol. Guidebook No. 6, 109 pp.
Gould, C. N. (1902) The geology and water resources of the eastern portion of the Panhandle of Texas: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 154, 64 pp.
—— (1907) The geology and water resources of the western portion of the Panhandle of Texas: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 191, 70 pp.
*Matthews, W. H., III (1960) Texas fossils: An amateur collector’s handbook: Univ. Texas, Bur. Econ. Geol. Guidebook No. 2, 123 pp.
*Patton, L. T. (1923) The geology of Potter County [Texas]: Univ. Texas Bull. 2330, 180 pp.
*Reed, L. C., and Longnecker, O. M. (1932) The geology of Hemphill County, Texas: Univ. Texas Pub. 3231, 98 pp.
*Sellards, E. H., Adkins, W. S., and Plummer, F. B. (1933) The geology of Texas, Vol. I, Stratigraphy: Univ. Texas Bull. 3232 (August 22, 1932), 1007 pp.
West Texas State University Geological Society (1964) Palo Duro Field Trip Guidebook: West Texas State Univ. Geol. Soc., Canyon, 18 pp.
—— (1960) Geology of Palo Duro Canyon State Park and the Panhandle of Texas: West Texas State Univ. Geol. Soc., Guidebook for 1966 SASGS Annual Field Trip, April 15-17, 1966, 58 pp.
Smith, A. R. (1967) Caves of Palo Duro Canyon: The Texas Caver, Abilene, Texas, vol. 12, pp. 145-148.
Abrasion—erosion of rock material by friction of solid particles moved by water, ice, wind, or gravity.
Absolute time—geologic time measured in years. Compare with relative time.
Amphibians—cold-blooded four-footed animals which have gills in youth and lungs in maturity (e.g., frog).
Anhydrite—the mineral calcium sulfate, CaSO₄. See Gypsum.
Anticline—an arch-like fold in the rocks, with the beds dipping in opposite directions on the two sides.
Aquifer—a water-bearing layer of porous and permeable rock.
Aragonite—a form of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃).
Archeozoic—the oldest known geological era; early Precambrian.
Bedding plane—the plane of demarcation between two individual rock layers or strata.
Calcite—a mineral composed of calcium carbonate, CaCO₃.
Caliche—an accumulation of calcium carbonate, commonly white in color, in the soil profile.
Cenozoic—the latest era of geologic time, containing the Tertiary and Quaternary Periods and continuing to the present time.
Chert—dense, hard rock of very fine-grained silica, usually in nodular form. This material is also called flint.
Concretion—a concentration, usually spherical, of mineral matter in sedimentary rocks, produced by deposits from solution; it is harder than the surrounding rock.
Conglomerate—a sedimentary rock composed of rounded, water-worn gravel, usually mixed with sand, and cemented together by another mineral substance.
Coprolite—the fossilized excrement of animals.
Eolian—pertaining to the erosion and the deposits resulting from wind action and to sedimentary rocks composed of wind-transported material.
Epoch—a subdivision of a geologic period, such as the Pliocene Epoch of the Tertiary Period.
Era—a major division of geologic time. All geologic time is divided into five eras: the Archeozoic, Proterozoic, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic Eras.
Fluorescence—luminescence of a mineral during exposure to radiation (such as from ultraviolet or X-rays).
Fluvial deposit—sediment deposited by streams.
Formation—a rock unit useful for mapping and distinguished primarily on the basis of lithologic character.
Fossil—any remains or traces of plants or animals preserved in deposits of a past geologic age.
Geode—a hollow stone, usually lined or filled with mineral matter.
Geologic age—the age of an object as stated in terms of geologic time (e.g., a Pennsylvanian fern, Cretaceous dinosaur).
Geologic time—all time which has elapsed since the first known rocks were formed and continuing until recent, or modern, times.
Geologic time scale—record of the divisions of earth history.
Gypsum—a mineral, hydrated calcium sulfate (CaSO₄·2H₂O). See Anhydrite.
Hoodoo—a form produced by erosion of rock.
Ice age—the Pleistocene Epoch of the Quaternary Period, Cenozoic Era; a time of extensive glaciation.
Igneous rock—rocks which have solidified from lava or molten rock called magma.
Joint—a fracture in a rock along which there has been no displacement on opposite sides of the break.
Joint System—a series of two or more sets of joints passing through a rock mass and separating it into blocks of more or less regular pattern.
Mass-wasting—erosion caused chiefly by gravity.
Mesozoic—the geologic era between the Paleozoic and Cenozoic Eras; the “Age of Reptiles.”
Metamorphic rock—rock formed from igneous or sedimentary rocks that have been subjected to great changes in temperature, pressure, or chemical environment.
Metamorphism—the process whereby rocks are changed physically by heat, pressure, or chemical environment into different kinds.
Mineral—a naturally occurring inorganic substance possessing definite chemical and physical properties.
Nodule—rounded lump of rock or mineral.
Outcrop—the area where a particular rock formation comes to the surface.
Paleontology—the science which deals with the study of fossils.
Paleozoic—that era of geologic time following the Proterozoic and preceding the Mesozoic.
Period—a basic unit of the geologic time scale into which the eras are divided, such as the Pennsylvanian Period of the Paleozoic Era.
Permian—the seventh and last period of the Paleozoic Era.
Pleistocene—the first of the two epochs of the Quaternary Period, and that which precedes modern time, known as the Great Ice Age.
Pliocene—last and youngest epoch of the Tertiary Period of the Cenozoic Era.
Proterozoic—youngest era of the Precambrian; follows the Archeozoic Era and precedes the Cambrian Period of the Paleozoic Era.
Red beds—a general term for red sandstone, shales, etc., which appear to characterize arid periods in the past.
Ripple marks—wave-like corrugations produced in unconsolidated materials by wind or water.
Rock—any natural aggregate of mineral matter, usually consisting of a mixture of two or more minerals.
Sandstone—sedimentary rock composed of cemented sand grains, usually quartz.
Sediment—material that has been deposited by settling from a transportation agent such as water or air.
Sedimentary rock—rocks formed by the accumulation of sediments.
Shale—a sedimentary rock formed by the hardening of mud and clay and usually tending to split into thin sheets or layers.
Silica—an oxide of silicon (SiO₂).
Siliceous—containing or pertaining to silica.
Silt—fine muddy sediment consisting of particles intermediate in size between clay particles and sand grains.
Siltstone—a very fine-grained sedimentary rock composed of silt grains, and intermediate between shale and sandstone.
Stratified rocks—sedimentary rocks; those formed in beds, layers, or strata.
Stratum—an individual layer of rock formation. (Plural, strata.)
Superposition, law of—in an undisturbed sequence of rocks younger beds overlie older beds.
Syncline—a trough-like fold in the rocks, with the beds dipping inward on either side. See Anticline.
Talus—a mass of rock debris commonly on slopes or at the base of a steep mountain or cliff.
Topography—the configuration of a land surface.
Unconformity—a break in the sequence of rock formations which separates younger strata from older ones; caused primarily by removal of older rocks by erosion before those of a later sequence were laid down.
Weathering—any natural process, mechanical or chemical, whereby rocks are disintegrated or decomposed into smaller particles and ultimately into clay and soil.
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