Caprock Canyons State Park, Texas

[Bob W]

I had time returning from a business trip to spend a few hours at the Caprock Canyons State Park in the panhandle of Texas. Big Thumbs-Up :thumbup: for anyone looking for some casual or low-risk desert hiking, a good training area before heading out into the wilderness.
I hiked 400' vertical gain up an incredibly steep and rocky trail to the Haynes Ridge Overlook, about two miles round trip. Then did another two-mile round-trip up a portion of the Upper Canyon Trail.
It was Sunday morning on the recent holiday weekend so there were a lot of other people in the park. The campground had many RVs and there were college groups in the primitive camping areas. I expect if you went on an off-season weekday, you'd have near solitude.

[My personal website with photos. No ads, and I'm not selling anything.]
http://placesandpics.com/locations/united-states-texas/caprock-canyons-state-park/

Feedback on the photos, write-up, or website are welcome.

 

[WILLIAM.M]

Great web page and photos---!!!!

Thanks for sharing Brother

 

[Bob W]

Thanks William. I'd like to return to that area some day, maybe with a mountain bike to ride the Trailway. The park ranger at the visitor center said the western section of the railroad is the most interesting with a tunnel, more bridges, and more canyons than the eastern section.

 

[jawilder]

My family and I considered going to Caprock for a short trip on Monday but chose to go to Carlsbad Cavern instead. I'll have to plan a trip to Caprock soon. We enjoyed our visit to Carlsbad although the hike back up kicked our butts. Of course the elevator was out but that's OK as I really enjoyed going down and coming up.

Here's a pic my wife snapped of me and my daughter coming out of the cave. I was bushed!

 

[Bob W]

I used to work in Carlsbad area as an archaeologist. Not only is the Caverns a great treasure, but practically the entire region down there is an endless expanse public land, mostly BLM but also the two national parks, State Parks, and I think some Army Corp of Engineers.
If you visit at Christmas, the town of Carlsbad does some neat things like night time boat rides in the lake.
Summer is hotter than heck, but that's when the evening bat flight is the most spectacular.
Fall is my favorite time down there. Mild and warm long after northern New Mexico has turned to snow.

 

[jawilder]

This was my first time there and I was extremely impressed. We didn't make it to the bottom this time so that gives me a goal for next time.

Since you were an archeologist, what can you tell me about the rock structure high on the hill across from the travel center in whites city?

 

[AntDog]

I used to live in Canyon, TX, so that was right in my back yard. I used to hike there all the time. Beautiful scenery. Especially the sunsets. It threw all kinds of colors on the canyon walls. So beautiful, and peaceful. I miss it very much.

My parents told me a few stories about Carlsbad caverns. I've never been there myself, but they told me one room there had an abnormally loud jukebox, and that the elevator went up and down fast as a sumbitch.

 

[Bob W]

This was my first time there and I was extremely impressed. We didn't make it to the bottom this time so that gives me a goal for next time.

A big tip for visiting the Caverns, plan far ahead and sign up for as many special ranger-led cave tours as you have time for. They do small tours down into different parts of the main caverns and also into other caves on the property. But the tour sizes are limited to very small groups, and they book full months ahead during any popular tourist season.

The National Park is much larger than just the main caverns. They have miles of hiking trails through the rocky hills and canyons, and the spring and ponds located farther south are a great place for a picnic.

Also, allow time for exploring outside of the park too. There's so much public land... enough to keep busy for months. Ghost towns, canyons, springs, historic sites... Indian Basin to the west is an outstanding place to start. I even once went driving around out in the desert to locate the lowest point in New Mexico.

Since you were an archeologist, what can you tell me about the rock structure high on the hill across from the travel center in whites city?

I don't recall that, so it must not have been in any of my project areas. Plus, I don't have a good memory.

 

[Bob W]

I used to live in Canyon, TX, so that was right in my back yard. I used to hike there all the time. Beautiful scenery. Especially the sunsets. It threw all kinds of colors on the canyon walls. So beautiful, and peaceful. I miss it very much.

My regret, that I wasn't there for sunrise or sunset. It was overcast that day so probably not much of a sunrise, plus my hotel was an hour away. And I couldn't stick around for sunset since I had a truckload of work gear that had to get back to Raton, still a five-hour drive away.