| Caprock Canyons State Park | |
|---|---|
 View from Haynes Ridge | |
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| Location | Briscoe County, Texas |
| Nearest city | Quitaque |
| Coordinates | 34°26′37″N 101°03′08″W / 34.44361°N 101.05222°W |
| Area | 15,314 acres (6,197 ha) |
| Established | 1982 |
| Visitors | 78,978 (in 2022)[1] |
| Governing body | Texas Parks and Wildlife Department |
| www | |
| Caprock Canyons Trailway | |
| Length | 64 miles (103 kilometres) |
| Location | Texas |
| Use | Hiking |
| Elevation gain/loss | 2,776 ft (846 m) |
| Difficulty | Medium |
Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway is a Texas state park located along the eastern edge of the Llano Estacado in Briscoe County, Texas, United States, approximately 100 miles (160 km) southeast of Amarillo. The state park opened in 1982 and is 15,314 acres (6,197 ha) in size, making it the third-largest state park in Texas.[2][3]
YouTube Encyclopedic
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Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway, Texas [Official]
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Caprock Canyons State Park | RV Texas
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Caprock canyons trail ride 3 of 6
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Caprock Canyons State Park backpacking and hammock camping
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Bison running at Caprock Canyons State Park - Texas Parks and Wildlife [Official]
Transcription
[wind] To this day, the landscape of the Texas Panhandle evokes images of the old West. This is a land of Kiowa and Comanche Indians, legendary pioneer ranchers, and wide-open spaces. The J.A. Ranch was over a million acres. This was originally part of the J.A. Ranch, established by John Adair. Charles Goodnight was a partner with him. Southeast of Amarillo, where the high plains end in the dramatic red bluffs and canyons of the Caprock escarpment, the legacy of Goodnight lives on. The buffalo were getting hunted off. They were going extinct. And Charles Goodnight, his wife, used to wake up at night and she would hear the bleats of the baby calves at night after the mamas were slaughtered during the day. And she just said one night, 'Charles, you've got to do something,' 'we've got to save these animals. They are fixing' 'not to be anymore.' So they went out and started with 6 head and they grew to over 200. In Caprock Canyons State Park, on this land where the buffalo once roamed, a bit of Western history has been restored. [buffalo snort] Today, Caprock Canyons is home to the direct descendents of the last free range Southern Plains Bison. And buffalo are only one facet of the park. We have excellent hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. In fact, Caprock Canyons has one of the most unique trail systems in the state. In addition to miles of hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding possibilities within the park, there's an extensive trailway just adjacent that was created from an abandoned railroad line. The trailway was originally a railroad that come from Estelline. The trail is 64 miles long. There's over 40 bridges or trestles. The tunnel's over 700 feet long. There's thousands of free-tailed bats that come in to stay in our colony every year at the tunnel at the trailway. From bats to bison, and from horseback riding to hiking and biking, Caprock Canyons State Park offers a complete Texas experience for all who visit. "That's pretty nice." But it just may be the scenery that brings people back. [wind] This place draws people in summer, winter, fall, spring. It's the natural beauty that we have here at Caprock Canyons State Park. From the high prairie to the colorful cliffs and canyons, this landscape keeps a powerful hold on those who call it home. I've been part of Caprock Canyons all my life, you know, since the park has been here. I feel like I'm part of it. [music] For more information about Texas state parks and historic sites, visit our website or call 1-800-792-1112.
Recreation
In 1993, a hiking, biking, and equestrian rail trail opened that stretches through the park through Floyd, Briscoe, and Hall counties. The trailway was created after the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department acquired 64.25 miles (103 km) of right-of-way from the abandoned Fort Worth and Denver Railroad's lines between Estelline and South Plains.[3] A unique feature is the 528 ft (161 m) Clarity Railroad Tunnel.[4]
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Isolated butte, an erosional remnant of the Llano Estacado. -
Side canyon carved by erosion.
Climate
The park is located in West Texas and has a semi-arid climate. The average January minimum temperature is 19 °F (−7 °C) and the average July maximum is 91 °F (33 °C). The park receives 20.4 inches (520 mm) of precipitation annually.[3]
Nature
Flora
The area contains badlands with mesquite, cacti and junipers with tall grasses, plums, hackberries and cottonwoods in the canyons.[3]
Fauna
At the urging of his wife, Charles Goodnight preserved several plains bison from those that were being slaughtered.[5] This herd became one of the genetic sources from which current bison herds descend.[6][7] The herd was donated to the State of Texas in 1997.[8] In 2011, bison were allowed to roam throughout the park, and the Texas Legislature designated the bison herd at Caprock Canyons State Park as the official State Bison Herd of Texas.[9] The herd has minimal cattle introgression.[10][11]
African sheep (Barbary sheep), mule deer, white-tailed deer, coyote, opossum, raccoon, bobcat, fox, porcupine, white-throated woodrat, numerous species of snakes and lizards, and over 175 species of birds including golden eagle, red-tailed hawk and turkey vulture are found within the park. Lake Theo contains bass, catfish, and rainbow trout.[3][12] In the summer of 2012 black-tailed prairie dogs were reintroduced to a 200-acre (81 ha) area within the park.[13]
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Greater roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) -
Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) -
Plains bison (Bison bison bison) -
Black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)
See also
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References
- ^ Christopher Adams. "What is the most visited state park in Texas? Here's the top 10 countdown". KXAN.com. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
- ^ Caprock Canyons State Park from the Handbook of Texas Online
- ^ a b c d e "Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway". Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Retrieved May 31, 2009.
- ^ Lanehart, Chuck (January 28, 2023). "Caprock Chronicles: Clarity Tunnel, the Doodlebug Line and the bats". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
- ^ Robbins, Elaine (September 2005). "Where the Buffalo Roam". TPW magazine. Texas Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
- ^ Westheimer, Max (May 23, 2019). "The Bison of Caprock Canyons State Park". We Will Not Be Tamed. Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
- ^ "Texas State Bison Herd to Once Again Freely Roam the Caprock" (Press release). Texas Parks and Wildlife. September 6, 2011.
- ^ Kuhlman, Marty (January 22, 2021). "Caprock Chronicles: Saving the bison on the Texas high plains". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ^ Hatch, Rosie (Ed.) (2022). Texas Almanac 2022-2023. Austin, Texas: Texas State Historical Association. p. 23. ISBN 9781625110664.
- ^ "Texas State Bison Herd – Preservation of the Bison". Austin, TX: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Archived from the original on February 21, 2012.
- ^ McCorkle, Rob (November 2011). "Home on the Range". TPW magazine. Austin, TX: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
- ^ "2013-2014 Trout Stocking Schedule". Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Archived from the original on March 27, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
- ^ "New Residents Arrive at Caprock Canyons State Park" (Press release). Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
External links
- Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway from Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD)
- Caprock Canyons Facility Map (PDF) from TPWD
- Caprock Canyons Trailway Map and Guide (PDF) from TPWD
- Public domain images of the Llano Estacado and West Texas
- Video of the Texas State Bison Herd in Caprock Canyons State Park on the Texas Archive of the Moving Image
This page was last edited on 22 November 2023, at 23:45