Tag: palo duro canyon state park

The Ultimate 14 Day Road Trip from Texas (Southwest Loop Itinerary + Stops)

Posted in Arizona, Grand Canyon National Park, Las Vegas, National Parks, Nevada, New Mexico, Road Trip Guides, State Parks, Texas, UtahTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

If you’re looking for the perfect 14 day road trip from Texas, this Southwest loop is one of the most unforgettable routes you can take.

Starting and ending in Dallas, this 14 day road trip from Texas takes you through some of the most incredible landscapes in the country—from underground caves to white sand dunes to iconic national parks like Zion and the Grand Canyon.

Even better? This route is a complete loop, meaning no backtracking—just one amazing stop after another.

Overview of This 14 Day Road Trip from Texas

  • Start/End: Dallas, TX
  • Length: 14 Days
  • Distance: ~2,900 miles
  • Route Highlights: Carlsbad Caverns → White Sands → Saguaro → Valley of Fire → Zion → Grand Canyon → Albuquerque → Palo Duro Canyon

This 14 day road trip from Texas is ideal for families, first-time long-distance road trippers, or anyone wanting to experience the Southwest in one epic journey.

Quick Trip Details

  • Starting Point: Dallas, Texas
  • Total Distance: ~2,900 miles
  • Trip Length: 14 days
  • Best Time to Go: Spring or Fall
  • States Covered: Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada

Day 1: Dallas → Carlsbad, NM

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Drive Time: ~7 hours

Kick off your 14 day road trip from Texas with an early start toward Carlsbad. This is a longer drive day, but it sets up one of the most unique experiences of the entire trip.

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Don’t Miss

  • Evening bat flight at Carlsbad Caverns (seasonal)

Day 2: Carlsbad Caverns → White Sands

White Sands National Park

Drive Time: ~3.5 hours

Day two of your 14 day road trip from Texas starts underground and ends in one of the most surreal landscapes in the U.S.

Don’t Miss

  • Big Room at Carlsbad Caverns (am)
  • Sunset + sledding at White Sands (pm)

Where to Stay (Alamogordo)

Where to Eat

Day 3: White Sands → Tucson, AZ

Drive Time: ~4.5 hours

Continue your 14 day road trip from Texas west into Arizona, where the landscape shifts again.

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Day 4: Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park

Spend the day exploring towering cacti and desert views—one of the most unique stops on this 14 day road trip from Texas.

Don’t Miss

  • Red Hills Visitor Center
  • Cactus Garden Trail (at visitor center)
  • Scenic drives
  • Golden hour views
  • Valley View Overlook Trail

Day 5: Tucson → Las Vegas / Valley of Fire

Drive Time: ~6.5–7 hours

One of the longer drive days on this 14 day road trip from Texas, but worth it for what’s ahead.

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Day 6: Valley of Fire → Zion

Valley of Fire State Park

Drive Time: ~2.5 hours

This stretch of your 14 day road trip from Texas brings you into one of the most iconic national parks.

Don’t Miss

  • Fire Wave Trail
  • Scenic drive

Where to Stay (Springdale)

Where to Eat

Days 7–8: Zion National Park

Zion National Park

Zion is the highlight of many travelers’ 14 day road trip from Texas, so don’t rush it.

Don’t Miss

  • The Narrows
  • Canyon Overlook Trail
  • Scenic shuttle
  • Sunset views

Day 9: Zion → Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon National Park

Drive Time: ~4.5 hours

Optional stop in Page, AZ before reaching the Grand Canyon—one of the most iconic stops on this 14 day road trip from Texas.

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Don’t Miss

  • Sunset
  • Mather Point
  • Yavapai Point
  • Grand Canyon Skywalk
  • South Kaibib Trail

Day 10: Grand Canyon

Take a slower pace here—this is a core memory stop on your 14 day road trip from Texas.

Don’t Miss

  • Sunrise
  • Rim trail
  • Mather Point
  • Yavapai Point
  • Grand Canyon Skywalk
  • South Kaibib Trail

Day 11: Grand Canyon → Albuquerque

Drive Time: ~6.5–7 hours

This part of your 14 day road trip from Texas serves as a reset before heading back east.

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Don’t Miss

  • Sunset at Sandia Crest

Day 12: Albuquerque → Palo Duro Canyon

Drive Time: ~4.5 hours

You’re officially back in Texas on your 14 day road trip from Texas.

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Day 13: Palo Duro Canyon

Palo Duro Canyon State Park

A slower day to wrap up your 14 day road trip from Texas with one of the most underrated parks in the state.

Don’t Miss

  • Lighthouse Trail
  • The Big Cave
  • Sunset views

Day 14: Amarillo → Dallas

Drive Time: ~5–6 hours

Wrap up your 14 day road trip from Texas and head home.

Final Thoughts on This 14 Day Road Trip from Texas

This is one of those trips where every stop feels completely different—and somehow the views just keep getting better.

If you’ve been searching for the ultimate 14 day road trip from Texas, this route checks every box: national parks, unique landscapes, family-friendly stops, and a seamless loop you can actually follow.

3 Hikes You Can’t Miss in Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Posted in Hiking, State Parks, Texas, United StatesTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

As someone that’s always looking for the next trail to hike, I cannot believe that I didn’t make the trip to Palo Duro Canyon sooner! I was absolutely blown away that this State Park exists… in Texas! Here are 3 hikes you can’t miss in Palo Duro Canyon State Park.

Photo taken from inside the Big Cave

This post contains affiliate links of products that we use and love! I may earn a small commission, at no charge to you, if you purchase any of the items using the links provided. Thank you!

Park Information

  • Palo Duro Canyon is located in the Texas Panhandle.
  • Park Address: 11450 Park Road 5, Canyon, TX 79015.
  • Website: Click here.
  • Phone Number: (806) 488-2227
  • Daily Fees: $8 per adult, children under 12 are free
  • Hours: 7 am – 9 pm

Park Map

Palo Duro Canyon State Park Map

Things to Know

  • Palo Duro Canyon is known as the “Grand Canyon of Texas!”
  • This canyon is the 2nd largest canyon in the US!
  • Palo Duro Canyon spans 120 miles and is 800 feet deep.
  • The best time to visit is spring and fall.
  • Summer visits can be dangerous because of the heat and high temps.
  • Make sure to bring more water than you think you’ll need during your hikes!
  • Palo Duro Canyon is a great place for a weekend getaway!
  • It only takes about 45 minutes to drive the loop through the Park.
  • You can stay nearby in the town of Canyon, TX.

My best friend and I visited Palo Duro Canyon in mid-February. We were pleasantly surprised with the weather and really enjoyed the hikes we were able to squeeze in during our weekend visit! Keep reading to learn more about the three hikes you can’t miss in Palo Duro Canyon!

Photo taken at the beginning of the Lighthouse Trail hike

The Hikes

The Lighthouse Trail – Distance: 5.9 miles | Time:  2.5 hours | Level: Moderate

This is the Lighthouse!

Our favorite hike was the Lighthouse Trail. This 6 mile hike is fairly easy until you get closer to the “Lighthouse” rock formation. At this point the hike gains slightly in elevation and you have to make a climb to get close to the Lighthouse.

Gorgeous landscape along the Lighthouse Trail

The Lighthouse Trail took us about two and a half hours to complete. I was very impressed with how well the entire trail was marked. And, my friend and I felt very safe the entire time we were hiking!  

The stunning desert landscape and dramatic colors make for an excellent hike. These unique colors of Palo Duro Canyon represent different geologic time periods spanning 240 million years!

The Big Cave – Distance: short walk from parking spot | Time:  30 min. | Level: Easy

The Big Cave

Our second hike of the day was more of a short walk. We drove under two miles from the Lighthouse Trail parking lot to reach the Big Cave. You will see a sign for The Big Cave on the side of the road past the Juniper Campground.

I have a new love of exploring caves… especially on my own without a guide or a group! This cave is BIG and was so fun to explore at our own pace. Even better, it’s only a short walk from the parking spots near the trailhead.

I had so much fun exploring this short trail and the cave. If you have children with you, this hike is a must! They’ll love the cave and all the climbing around it!

The Caves Trail – Distance: 0.9 | Time:  30 min | Level: Easy

This is another really cool hike with several caves to explore at your own pace! I wish we would’ve spent more time here, but we were pretty tired after the other two hikes of the day.

The beginning of the Caves Trail

If I had it to do all over again, or if I had my boys with me, I would like to start the day on this trail. There is a small parking lot right at the trailhead, but unlike the hike on the Lighthouse Trail, this one is not very well marked.

I recommend bringing headlamps or a flashlight to go deeper into some of the caves. It was cloudy off and on during our visit and kind of dark at times. You may not need them, but I wished that I would’ve had mine on this hike!

Palo Duro Canyon Highlights

  • Well marked trails
  • I had excellent cell service in most areas of the Park
  • Stunning views and colors
  • The Park was easy to navigate
  • No crowds
  • The trails were scenic and not too hard

Hiking Essentials

These are some of my tried and true hiking essentials that I cannot trek without! I really do consider myself a minimalist when I hike, but I do feel like you need to be prepared for anything when you’re out in the wilderness. Here are the things I never hike without.

  • Hiking shoes – I’ve been wearing these instead of my tall hiking boots and love the comfort of them!
  • Hiking backpack – This backpack is the perfect size for me. My husband carries a larger one, but this one is great for a smaller amount of stuff.
  • Hiking wipes
  • First-aid kit
  • Sunscreen
  • Chapstick with SPF
  • Portable battery pack
  • Cell phone arm band – I like the ease of this phone case. I can easily grab my phone and put it up throughout the hike as needed.
  • Camera stand – I love capturing family photos, but I don’t like having to ask other people to take them. This is great for all kinds of traveling, not just hiking!
  • Headlamps – these are the ones I own and won’t hike these trails again without!

Where to Stay

If you’re planning a trip to Palo Duro Canyon, I recommend lodging in Canyon, TX which is only about 19 miles/33 minutes from the entrance of Palo Duro Canyon State Park. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites. The room was clean and cozy and we enjoyed the free breakfast buffet in the morning!

The Hiker’s 365 Adventure!

On a final note, my best friend and I signed up for the Hiker’s 365 Adventure Challenge! We’ve set a goal to hike 365 miles in 365 days. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or a beginner, this challenge offers the perfect opportunity to connect with nature one mile at a time! We’d love for you to join this community of hikers, too! If you’re interested, register today using my Hiker’s 365 Adventure referral link!