The campground located at the end of SH 217 which highway is found at exit 106 on IH 27 just east of Canyon, Texas.

From the interstate highway, follow SH 217 east to the end of the highway about ten miles. At the end of the SH, the road turns into the state park. There are several campgrounds in the park,

The Palo Duro Canyon in the North Texas panhandle spans across two geographical eco-regions. These two geographical eco-regions are divided by the Caprock Escarpment which is in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico (Western High Plains) and portrays the geographical transition point between the level High Plains of the Llano Estacado and the much lower surrounding rolling terrain of the interior lowlands region.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park consists of more than 29,000 acres in Armstrong and Randall Counties, south of Amarillo in the Texas Panhandle. Palo Duro Canyon is located on the southern high plains, an area called El Llano Estacado or staked plains.

The canyon is approximately 120 miles long, 20 miles wide and 800 feet deep. The rim of the canyon is considered part of the short-grass prairie, while the elevated moisture of the canyon floor supports a greater diversity of plants, including some medium- and tall-grass species along with shrubs and trees.

Man has inhabited Palo Duro Canyon for thousand of years. The Clovis and Folsom people first resided in the canyon and hunted large herds of mammoth and giant bison.

Later, other cultures such as the Apache, Comanche and Kiowa utilized the abundant resources of the canyon.

As the continental drought continues unabated, the Palo Duro canyon has truly moved deep into the dry side of this continent and continues to become dryer and more to the appearance of a desert. This eventuality has come to engulf the Palo Duro Canyon to such an extent that the green within the campsites in the state park have withered to brown, the sand has blown over the campsites and now, most all the campsites have taken on the appearance of campsites in a desert.

Too, the Prairie Town Fork of the Red River has all but dried up within the state park and does not have signs that it will flow again soon.

Awake, get dressed, start the jammer and drive south on IH 27 to the Canyon exit and then turn east on SH 217, drive the ten miles to the state park entrance. I give the ranger my Texas parks pass and ID, then I ask the ranger for a day pass, which she prints and hands to me. Just inside the park I see a unique vehicle, and begin singing the song, "My Baloney has a first name, it′s 0-S-C-A-R.

I drive into the park, down into the canyon, then down the canyon floor to the second campground and stop at the shower house for my hot shower.

On the way out, I stop at the cafe and immediately see several wild turkeys so I grab my camera and take a few photos.

When I check to see if the cafe is open, I find it is still closed, so I decide to drive back into town and go to the hair salon for a haircut. After that, I drive to What-mart for two breakfast egg wraps and coffee. Finally, I drive to the w-mart, grab my computer bag and go inside for my second cup of coffee, com and key pounding.

After staying several days in Lubbock, Texas, I head north on IH 27, drive about one hundred and some miles before I exit onto SH 217, turn east and drive to the state park for a hot shower. I had wanted to camp for a night but the park was full and I just have to settle for some much needed hot water. After

After taking my hot shower, I drive out of the park, west on SH 217 and the further north on IH 27 until I arrive at the exit for the south loop highway. After exiting the interstate, I drive to the w-mart, pull into the parking lot and park. Then, I go inside for the air conditioning and to continue pounding on my computer keyboard. Then, at six-thirty, I drive to the nearby Whataburger for a sandwich, after which, I drive to the d-mart, which is about three miles north of my location and locate a good place to overnight.

Awake, dress in my fall blues and drive south back to the SH 335 loop, then east to IH 27 and drive south to exit 106 where I leave the IH and turn east on SH 217. From here, I drive into Palo Duro Canyon State Park for a hot shower and to change into clean clothes.

There are still two of the four shower houses that I have not gone to, so, I drive downriver along the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River to the Mesquite Campground Area (CGA) and park in the shower house parking lot. I gather my shower gear and walk in to find that this shower has steamy hot water. Too, this building is just like both the Hackbery and Sagebrush shower houses buildings.

I enjoy the long soak and then put on my clean clothes. Right after I my shower, I stop at Mesquite Campground Area (CGA) and get a photo of a campsite.

Leaving the Mesquite Shower House, I next drive to the Juniper Campground Area (CGA) and pull into the shower house parking lot here so that I can check to see what the water temperature is like. I meet a group of fire fighters on their day off who are touring the state park. We talk for a short time and then I walk towards the shower hours which is a newly built one, much like some I have seen at other Texas State Parks.

Then, upon walking inside this new shower house, I find that the water temperature is not steamy hot but only warm. I am disappointed in this shower house, so much so, that I will likely never take a shower here.

After my stop at this shower house, I continue my drive around the park road loop taking photos of a very dry Palo Duro canyon.

Last night began the full moon and as it was rising above the canyon rim, I got out to photograph the moor rise.

Awake to a very cold morning, seven degrees below freezing. I have kept the heat on all night to make it comfortable inside the jammer.

Space number five in the Hackberry loop is the worse space that I have overnighted at since I have been coming to Palo Duro. It is a very long walk to the restroom and the entire site has no grass, just sand.

Even the hard surface for parking is mostly covered with sand, which is caused by current long term drought.

If I return to this loop again, I will make sure that I camp in space twenty or in one of the sites near by the shower house so that I can walk to the restroom and not have to drive there just to use the mens room.

I awake once again in the same parking lot in Amarillo, Texas but today I am not following my same routine that I would normally do. I am going to drive to the w-mart but not to check my com or to pound keys, only to buy a cup of hot coffee. Then, I will take my coffee with me, drive south on Coulter street to the SH 335 Loop, then east until I arrive at IH 27, next south out of Amarillo to exit 106 and then turn left on SH 217 which takes me out to Palo Duro Canyon state park where I acquire a day pass.

Then, I drive into the park and this time, stop at the second campground look, the Hackberry camp loop, drive to the shower house, grab my shower bag and go inside for a hot shower. Only, this shower house does not have medium hot water like the one at the Sagebrush camp area, the Hackberry shower house has, much to my liking, steamy hot water.

At the entrance building I see a sign stating: Campgrounds Full, so I only ask for and acquire a day pass, after which, I then drive into the park, down into the canyon and then to the first campground area (CGA) to stop at the restroom for a hot shower but I find that the water is only medium hot at best.

Awake, dress in my winter blues, drive to the w-mart for coffee, com and computer. I work on my journal and upload the several web pages and the associated photos. Then, late in the morning, I pack out and drive the Palo Duro Canyon state park. I notice that there is a very strong wind blowing out of the north, which make it feel much colder than the 40 degrees that it is.

When I ask if there are campsites available, I am told no, we are all filled up. Too, I notice that this park has gone to reservation only for the RV sites.