Directions:: See Givens, Spicer, Lowry, trail in Palo Duro Canyon
Trail Information:: This is just one of a number of interconnecting
trails in Palo Duro Canyon that are all spectacularly beautiful and can be linked into the
Capital Peak trail, the Juniper trail, the Givens,Spicer, Lowery trail, the Paseo del Rio
trail, the Sunflower trail and so on. These are each excellent trails that vary from hilly
to flat and are exceptional on their own merit. It is easy to run 6 to 12 miles without
significant overlapping of the running course.
Miscellaneous Information:: This is a semi-arid locale in a very large
canyon system about 800 feet deep and miles wide where the trails are. Mid-day in Summer
is very hot and water access is limited to forays onto the Park road system which itself
is a good run and includes a 5 mile loop called the "Alternate Park Road".
Winter can be bitterly cold and windy with the occasional heavy snow. Spring and
Fall are gorgeous even for this beautiful canyon. The Lighthouse is an erosion pinnacle
that has become the trademark icon of Palo Duro Canyon State Park. The trailhead to the
Lighthouse is just past water crossing number 2 and has a nice parking lot. A run to the
lighthouse out and back is about a 4.4 mile run but as mentioned above, it joins with
other trails to offer an incredible array of opportunities. There are bikers on the trails
and on a few you will encounter the rare horseback rider. That is a very unusual event in
my experience.