This Secret Horseback Riding Trail in Texas Takes You Through a Canyon

The canyon walls rise 800 feet on either side, striped in reds, oranges, and purples that shift with the sun.

Your horse picks its way along a trail that threads between cottonwoods on the canyon floor, toward rock formations with names like the Lighthouse that have been landmarks for riders since the Comanche owned these lands.

This is Palo Duro Canyon—the second-largest canyon system in the United States, stretching 120 miles across the Texas Panhandle and offering horseback riding through landscapes that look nothing like the rest of Texas.

Where Palo Duro Canyon State Park Is Located

The park lies in the Texas Panhandle, about 25 miles south of Amarillo and just outside the town of Canyon.

The address is 11450 State Highway Park Road 5, Canyon, TX 79015. From Amarillo, the drive takes about 30 minutes—close enough for a day trip, remote enough to feel like another world.

The canyon itself extends far beyond the park boundaries, running roughly 120 miles from Canyon to Silverton and reaching widths up to 20 miles in places.

The state park occupies the northernmost and most accessible section, where a paved scenic drive descends 500 feet from the rim to the canyon floor.

The Equestrian Experience

The park dedicates 1,500 acres specifically to horseback riding, with access to trails that wind through terrain ranging from sandy canyon floor to rocky ascents toward dramatic formations.

Equestrians can also share two additional trails with hikers and mountain bikers. The experience differs fundamentally from typical trail riding—you’re not circling a ranch corral or following a creek through gentle hills.

You’re riding through one of the largest canyon systems in North America, past towering sandstone walls, beneath cottonwoods that have shaded riders for generations, and alongside geological features that dwarf everything around them.

For riders bringing their own horses, the park requires a negative Coggins test dated within the past 12 months.

The Equestrian Campground provides 10 horse-friendly sites with picnic tables, fire rings, and water faucets.

Four joined horse pens—each holding up to two horses—operate first-come, first-served basis. Visitors can bring portable corrals.

Showers are located about a third of a mile from the equestrian area. The maximum capacity is eight per site, combining people and horses. Reservations must be made through the park.

The Lighthouse Trail—the park’s most famous route—permits horses on its 5.9-mile round trip that leads toward the iconic 310-foot Lighthouse rock formation.

The trail offers 531 feet of elevation gain, taking riders through low shrub areas with colorful cliff walls rising on all sides.

Other equestrian options include the Juniper Cliffside Trail and dedicated equestrian-only paths through the canyon’s quieter sections.

Guided Rides for Every Level

For those without their own horses, several stables offer guided canyon rides.

Palo Duro Riding Stables, a family operation since 1962, located just before the state park entrance, provides one-hour and 90-minute rides through a section of the canyon accessible only on horseback.

Prices range from $100 to $150 depending on season, with rides available year-round by reservation.

Children must be at least five years old. Call (806) 488-2799 for current pricing and availability.

Old West Stables operates inside the state park, offering one-hour guided rides from approximately March through November.

The in-park location provides convenience for visitors already exploring other areas of Palo Duro. Prices vary seasonally—recent reports indicate around $125-150 per person.

Cowgirls and Cowboys In The West offers extended riding experiences on the private Los Cedros Ranch along the canyon’s northern rim.

They offer two-hour, half-day, and multi-day equestrian vacation packages for those seeking deeper immersion in canyon country.

Where Texas Meets the American Southwest

Palo Duro Canyon State Park isn’t just a place to ride—it’s a rare chance to explore vast red-rock canyon country on horseback, where Texas landscapes feel as wild and dramatic as anything in the American Southwest.

For more information about Palo Duro Canyon State Park, visit tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/palo-duro-canyon or call (806) 488-2227 for trail conditions and equestrian campground reservations.

Use the park map to explore canyon floor trails, equestrian camps, scenic overlooks, and routes leading toward iconic formations like the Lighthouse.

Where: 11450 State Hwy Park Rd 5, Canyon, TX 79015