Rugged, Refreshing Ride
Mountain biking in Amarillo’s
Palo Duro Canyon State Park
By: Amy Becker Williams
The sun spreads a golden glow across the canyon walls as the
crisp early morning air and a slight wind are just enough to make the hairs on
my arms stand up. Morning is my favorite
time to hit the trails. There’s something
about the newness of a day to get me revved up and ready for a ride.
It’s been a few months since I’ve taken a real ride thanks
to the usual job and life responsibilities, but with nice weather on the
horizon, I’m reminded of rejuvenation and that it’s time to get back on the
trails. And, I’m not talking the well-known trails of Colorado or Utah, but the
trails of Palo
Duro Canyon State Park, my own backyard, my Texas Panhandle playground.
Mountain biking opportunities are surprisingly plentiful for
what is considered a flat, treeless landscape around Amarillo, Texas. Palo Duro Canyon, our nation’s second largest
canyon, opens up from a flat plain to an 800-foot deep canyon covering over
20,000 acres, and for bicyclists, a hearty 15,000 acres with over 10 quality
trails to explore in Palo Duro Canyon State Park. It wasn’t until 1934, after the canyon was
used as the first commercial ranch, that the upper canyon officially opened as
Palo Duro Canyon State Scenic Park.
Today it’s visited by over half a million visitors a year, as a
recreational and scenic hot-spot full of possibilities.
I pull on my helmet and look over my nearly new Liv and
wonder if this is the day I’ll christen it with a spill on some gnarly turn or red
rock, giving its shiny green veneer the first noticeable ding or scratch. Today,
the possibilities are endless as I prepare for a mountain biking trance and a
complete zoning-out from everything else.
As I take one last sip of my coffee and lock up the car, I
can’t help but think of the history these steep, colorful canyon walls, from
prehistoric man and animals to Native American tribes to members of Francisco
Vásquez de Coronado’s expedition. I
wonder about the lives that each of these inhabitants once led.
Hitting the trail
I throw a leg over my bike and begin the immediate, vigorous
push toward the summit. The Rock Garden
Trail is an immersive 2.39 mile ride up and is marked for bicycles and hikers. The 600-foot ascent is tough, but I like a
challenge and always look forward to basking in some well-earned euphoria when
I’m back at the trailhead.
The challenge
increases
I continue to climb and begin to hear my own heart beating as
I maneuver around boulders and up switchback after switchback. I push hard
through a sandy turn and know that if I don’t look beyond my front tire, I’ll
be whimpering in the cactus outcrops, or slipping off the downhill side of the
trail all together. Sweat begins to drip down my neck, but it feels cool from
the breeze as I power around curves, feel the burn in my thighs, and climb in a
fluid motion over the rocks and canyon clay.
Before I know it, I’m to a tight right-handed corner
signifying the notorious Rock Gap slab ahead.
I’d like to think I could ride up this short, yet extremely steep rise.
But as many do, I hop off and hoof it up.
Luckily, just after this rough elevation gain, the trail
mellows out into a mesa-like terrain long enough for my breathing to slow down
and my body to relax. I’ve conquered the most challenging portion of Rock
Garden’s 600 feet of elevation. My
attitude is definitely on the upswing and work is the furthest thing from my
mind as Rock Garden’s peak approaches and the stark contrast of the blue sky
meets the browns and greens of the southwestern landscape.
After climbing the last steep portion of the trail, I take a
moment to sit atop Rock Garden’s precipice, to soak in the picture-perfect
view. I slowly gaze left to right, right
to left, at the full spectrum of the park and realize just how lucky I am to
have this striking piece of nature so accessible.
I’m riding alone today but I also relish riding with a group
of pals to give challenges and barbs along the way, but especially to
commiserate with at the top of a trail or on the gravel parking lot after a day’s
ride. Sometimes I just hit the trail
with my cattle dog, who loves a good ride in the canyon almost as much as I do.
Knowing that what goes up must come down, I’m ready for my
favorite, speedy challenge back to the trailhead. I eagerly pick up the pace on a longer
straightaway feeling every contour of the land and hearing nothing but the
sound of my knobby tires propelling me forward.
A dip jars my body as my breathing quickens.
My momentum builds strength and for a split second, I think
of my childhood bike rides in the canyon. I get out of my zone almost a minute too long
as I’m forced to make a sudden move away from a rattlesnake warming himself in
the middle of the trail. I regain my
composure, feel the adrenaline pumping, and hear myself instinctively holler
“Waaahooo!” just as I catch some air and let loose on the fun, flowy descent. I laugh out loud at myself for reverting back
to childhood for that moment.
Winding down
Finally, after successfully retreating over 20 or so tech-y
twists and turns, I’m back to the trailhead, and without a doubt, end my ride
happier than when I started. Life is
good outside, surrounded by nature’s beauty, and on a bike, of course.
Today’s possibilities luckily turned out perfectly, no
spills, pure joy, and a clear mind to boot.
Discover the outdoor opportunities in Palo
Duro Canyon State Park!
PDC TRAILS: Overview
- Capitol Peak – an
intermediate to advanced 3.5-mile trail with a few deep sand sections,
difficult, steep climbs, and tight corners. It starts out climbing on a wide trail,
but continues as a singletrack trail.
There are bypasses for some fun obstacles that can get both wheels
in the air.
- Givens, Spicer, Lowry – just over 3 miles of intermediate trail
providing a good workout coupled with top-notch scenery. GSL consists of some short punch climbs
and technical climbs along parts of this steep, rocky singletrack. GSL used
to be considered the most technical trail system until the addition of
Rock Garden and Comanche.
- Rock Garden – an advanced
trail that runs 2.39 miles and gains 600 feet in elevation from the bottom
of the canyon all the way to the top.
It’s a perfect place for viewing the canyon, if you’re up to the
steep challenge and over 20 tight switchbacks and corners.
- Comanche – another
advanced trail that’s quite the technical battle and is more like a black
diamond when comparing to ski slopes.
Make sure you know what you’re doing.
- Little Fox Loop – a fun,
flat, windy loop that goes through some trees. Be sure to make a stop at the picnic
table and sign your name in the adventurers’ book and look out for a few
sandy spots. You may hear someone mention Cottonwood Flats, but it’s just
a portion of Little Fox. Little Fox
is also considered an extension of GSL.
- Juniper Trail – a shady,
fun, two-part trail. Juniper
Riverside goes in and out of the trees with some shady sections, has views
of the beautiful Spanish skirt formations, and is considered intermediate
with 1.07 miles of one-way trail.
Juniper Cliffside is longer with 2.83 miles one-way and is on the
other side of the road from Riverside.
It has some steep sections and technical runs. Cliffside is a pretty trail and runs
beside curious percolation caves created by running water.
- Lighthouse – the fun 5.7
mile round-trip Lighthouse trail is probably most popular with beginners,
but has bypass sections for more intermediate fun. Take note that this is
a highly traversed hiking tail and that you have to park (and should lock)
your bike midway through if you want to make the climb and actually reach
the lighthouse, which is considered the signature image of Palo Duro
Canyon.
- Sunflower – a relaxing 1.17
mile one-way ride along Sunday Creek, with streaks of white gypsum running
though the canyon wall, perfect for novices.
- Rojo Grande – about 1.07
miles one-way and connects to Sunflower.
Rojo sits at the bottom of the canyon and is shady and scenic.
- Paseo Del Rio – a 1.03-mile
one-way trail along the river that’s smooth and shady. Stop at the cowboy dugout for a glimpse
of the 1880s.
PDC Hours & Information:
Palo Duro Canyon State Park, less than half an hour from
downtown Amarillo, is open year-round, and during summer is opened from
8AM-10PM, 8AM-8PM most other months (with Friday and Saturday until 10PM), but closes
at 6PM during the winter. If you’re
camping in the canyon you’ll get a gate access code to come in after
hours. Costs for entering the canyon run
$5 per person and Free for kids 12 and under.
Ask about money saving season passes, 806-488-2227.
Important note: The canyon can get extremely hot and dry, especially during the summer months. It is vital that you bring lots of water and stay hydrated, remember your pets too.
Special thanks to Michael Fiore of
Outdoor Element Sports (806-353-2900) in Amarillo, Holly Strickland, and to
Chad Glasco with Sun Adventure Sports.