Palo Duro Canyon

My Big trip started on 8/31/14 with a long drive from Houston to Canyon, Texas. I arrived around 4 pm at the Park and went to the visitor center. I think park rangers (whether state or national) are always so helpful with information.  I'm glad this was my first stop.  I was impressed that Texas has this little known gem.  I stayed until sunset and then called it a night.

This speaks for itself.  

As the sun was going behind the west rim, the colors became
more vivid, showing all the different strata of rock.

This was near a conference center that was very modern
and closed to the public that afternoon for a special event.

The poor drivers behind me were always perplexed by a woman
in bright orange pulling over on the side of the road jumping out
to take pictures like this!

On a very steep road out of the bottom of the canyon, I was able to pull over and take
a close up of one of the lower layers of rock.  This was very crumbly rock  under tons of
what looked like more solid rock and soil hundreds of feet above it.  

After a good night's sleep, I awoke on 9/1/14 to see the black, star-lit sky turn to the beautiful blues and pinks of north Texas mornings.  As the old song goes, "Amarillo by Morning"!!!!  The adventure continues......