Caprock Canyons State Park
Fast facts
- Size: about 15,300 acres (62 km²), plus the 64-mile (103 km) Caprock Canyons Trailway
- Trails: nearly 90 miles (145 km)
- Wildlife: home of the Texas State Bison Herd
- Gateway: Quitaque
- Managed by: Texas Parks and Wildlife
The landscape
Caprock Canyons sits where the flat Llano Estacado breaks off into rugged red canyons, carved by wind and water into cliffs, hoodoos and badlands. Bison roam the grasslands, descended from a herd saved by rancher Charles Goodnight. Pronghorn, mule deer, aoudad and golden eagles also live here, and bats roost in the Clarity Tunnel on the Trailway in warm months.
Best time to go
Spring and fall offer the best hiking weather. Summers are hot, often over 100°F (38°C). Winter days can be pleasant, though cold fronts bring wind and freezing nights.
Getting there and around
The park is north of Quitaque, reached by paved roads across the Panhandle. A park road leads to Lake Theo, campgrounds and trailheads. The Caprock Canyons Trailway, a converted railroad, runs east and west from the park.
Things to do
Trails range from the easy Mesa Trail to the challenging Haynes Ridge Overlook, with primitive backpack camping in the canyons. Cyclists ride the Trailway to Clarity Tunnel. Watching the bison is a highlight, and Lake Theo offers fishing and no-wake boating.
Staying safe
Bison are wild and dangerous; stay well back and never approach. Carry plenty of water and avoid midday hiking in summer. Canyons can flood quickly during storms. Trails are steep and loose in places. Watch for rattlesnakes and leave a trip plan.
Know before you go
This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so confirm trail status and reservations with Texas Parks and Wildlife before you go.
- Coordinates
- 34.4435, -101.0515
- Magnetic declination
- 5.0° E (2026)
Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.
How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass
A spread of the park’s main places shows straight away, and the rest appear as you zoom in. You can also search above, or pick any place from the lists below, and the map will go to it. Places in bold, marked , have a short description.
Getting there 1
Visitor centre
On the trail 7
Route
Campgrounds
Sights 4
Lakes
Peaks
Map data comes from third-party sources and may be incomplete or out of date, so carry a current official map (terms).
Looking for one of these closer to home?Destinations near me by trip type →
- Best seasons
- Spring, Fall, Winter
- Difficulty
- Easy to strenuous
- Access / trailheads
- Near Quitaque in the Texas Panhandle, about 100 miles (160 km) southeast of Amarillo, off Highway 86.
- Water
- Limited on trails; carry plenty.
- Cell / satellite coverage
- Patchy in the canyons.
- Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency
- Emergencies: 911.
- Permits & regulations
- An entrance fee applies; primitive campsites are reserved through Texas Parks and Wildlife.
- Leave No Trace
- Keep well away from bison, stay on trails, and pack out all waste.
January
- Below-freezing nights
February
- Below-freezing nights
March
- Day-to-night swing of 30°F (17°C)Day-to-night swing of 17°C (30°F)
April
- Day-to-night swing of 30°F (17°C)Day-to-night swing of 17°C (30°F)
May
June
- Hot days
July
- Hot days
August
- Hot days
September
October This month
November
December
- Below-freezing nights
What to bring depends on your trip: how long you’re out, where you sleep, and how far you go from the road. The planner builds the list for yours.
Plan a trip here →Averages for 1991–2020 from NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, measured at the Turkey station, 9 miles (15 km)15 km (9 miles) away at 2,352 feet (717 m)717 m (2,352 feet). Higher trails run colder, by about 3.5°F for every 1,000 ft (2°C per 300 m)2°C for every 300 m (3.5°F per 1,000 ft) of climb. Daylight runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th, on the park’s own clock, for a level horizon. Valleys and slopes facing away from the sun are in shade earlier.
Nearby parks
-
Palo Duro Canyon State Park
The second-largest canyon in the U.S., cutting 800 feet (240 m) into the Texas Panhandle, with the Lighthouse hoodoo.
-
Capulin Volcano National Monument
A near-perfect cinder cone on New Mexico’s high plains, with a road to the rim and a trail around the crater.
-
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Vast caverns under New Mexico's Chihuahuan Desert, with the Big Room, summer bat flights and backcountry above.
-
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Guadalupe Peak, the top of Texas at 8,751 feet (2,667 m), rising from the Chihuahuan Desert, with fall color in McKittrick Canyon.
Straight-line distance between park centres. Road distance is usually longer.
Looking for somewhere closer to home?
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