I went out to Caprock and Palo Duro Canyon, Texas, last week to ride. I recommend either place. Can't decide which I liked better, they are the same yet different. Of cousre we had great weather, that made it better. I would think it could get really hot in the summer tho.
Posted 2006-11-16 7:45 AM (#51572 - in reply to #51560) Subject: RE: Caprock and Palo Duro Canyons
Veteran
Posts: 174 Location: Missouri
How much riding is at each place? We thought about driving out there to ride but it's over 700 miles from here and we'd need a week's riding to make it worthwhile. What are the trails like? Are there alot of ledges and dropoffs? Did you see the camping area? Sorry for all the questions but I'd like to know from someone that has ridden there. Thanks.
Posted 2006-11-16 11:13 AM (#51588 - in reply to #51572) Subject: RE: Caprock and Palo Duro Canyons
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 303 Location: Grapeland, Texas
If you did both places there would be plently of riding. I had to drive over 500 miles myself, the others probably drove close to 700 miles. There was only one scary place at Palo Duro, but it is not on the horse trails, we made a wrong turn,oops. It's not real rocky, but do recommend shoes. The camp area is better at Caprock. There are no hook ups but there is a faucet between each site. No threads so you can't fill your trailer there, but they did say the water was safe for us to drink too. Caprock has 2 pens behind each site, a picnic table and a fire ring with a grill on it. Palo Duro is just a big area to park in with a shade shelter on each end with tables and fire rings. There are 4 big pens all together at Palo Duro. There is water at the pens and at a water trough. We did refill the trailers there. Don't know if it was safe to drink, but I don't drink out of my trailer anyway. We just used it to wash with. Both places do have good showers not far from the camp site. The 2 parks are about 80 miles apart and Canyon has Wal-Mart or other stores if you need something. We took one day to move and restock groceries. I'd go back in a heart beat.
Posted 2006-11-24 8:01 AM (#51847 - in reply to #51560) Subject: RE: Caprock and Palo Duro Canyons
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Posts: 9
I too was just at Cap Rock. Great riding!![IMG]http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m31/dbssj/IMG_23808x10mail.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m31/dbssj/IMG_23168x10mail.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m31/dbssj/IMG_23108x10JPGmail.jpg[/IMG]
Posted 2006-11-26 3:40 PM (#51925 - in reply to #51888) Subject: RE: Caprock and Palo Duro Canyons
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 303 Location: Grapeland, Texas
The riding isn't real rough. The trails are maintained pretty good. There was only one spot at Caprock that scared me, it was a washed out spot. Nothing at Palo Duro was rough. If you ride south of camp and up on the sides of the canyon there were some steep trails, but nothing to worry about. I really liked it. Wouldn't recommend it in the summer tho. To hot!!
Posted 2006-12-01 1:58 PM (#52095 - in reply to #51560) Subject: RE: Caprock and Palo Duro Canyons
Member
Posts: 14
Location: Norman, Ok
Hello. I too, just got back from PDC and Caprock a few weeks ago. I loved it and we can't wait to go back next spring. There were about 12 rigs of us.
I favored Caprock the best. It was more deserted and away from things which is what I like. The campground was so much nicer. We ran into a couple of rough spots, but most of the riding is easy and senic.
At PDC, I preferred the trail behind the campgound. It was challenging but not bad at all. I didn't care for the trail to the Lighthouse that much. Too many hikers and bicycles.
I dreaded the road down into the camp as I heard about the steepness. But hubby was driving the 33' MH pulling the trailer. He took it easy and no problem. Same going out.
A great place to go. If you are taking kids and can unhook, they would probably enjoy the activies at PDC more than Caprock.
Posted 2006-12-02 8:44 PM (#52131 - in reply to #52095) Subject: RE: Caprock and Palo Duro Canyons
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 303 Location: Grapeland, Texas
Okiedar, I bet ya'll are the ones we kind of switched parks with. We had 5 rigs at Caprock and 4 went to Palo Duro. I agree about the ride to the Lighthouse, wasn't real impressed. We got on a wrong trail somehow and got chewed out royaly by a biker. I really liked south of camp also. Did you ever have coyotes in the camp at Palo Duro? I saw 3 one morning right outside my trailer. And of course the turkeys. I liked the camping at Caprock at lot better too. I bet Palo Duro could be a mess if it rained a lot there, not that Caprock couldn't, but at least there weren't any ruts at Caprock. I'll be ready to go back when it warms up some. The weather was great when we were there. I have some other friends that want to go sometime to, so I guess I will just have to go with them to make sure they don't get lost.
Posted 2006-12-03 11:08 AM (#52140 - in reply to #51560) Subject: RE: Caprock and Palo Duro Canyons
Member
Posts: 14
Location: Norman, Ok
LONGEARS....What a small world!!! Yeppers, that was us!! I was in the MH parked next to a lady with a longears. Was that you? She warned me of a bad place on the trail and it was bad! But one of the guys found a way around it for the next time. Then there was the spot, going uphill, around a big boulder, and then the horse had to jump a couple of feet onto a large rock still going uphill. I didn't care for that spot either. It was off the main trail.
You are right. The weather was just great. And the full moon and stars added to it. No, I didn't see any cayotes around our camp but sure heard them all night!
We are already talking of our next trip there. We had such a great time. Most of us that went, hang out at Horseforums.com on the trailriding thread if you would like to yell Hi to us. Who knows, we might meet up again in SE Ok or Texas.
Posted 2006-12-05 11:40 AM (#52215 - in reply to #51560) Subject: RE: Caprock and Palo Duro Canyons
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 303 Location: Grapeland, Texas
Okiedar, that would have been me. Where did ya'll find a way around the widow maker? May need it for next time. I guess we missed the boulder, don't remember that one. Did ya'll go out of the camp and down the road to that other place you could ride? Wasn't much to it but we had lunch down on the creek that was real nice.
I am leaving Thurs to go ride the Wildhorse ride in Honobia. I go up there 4 times a year to an organized ride. I enjoy it. Good people and great food. I like someone else cooking for me and not having to clean up afterwards!! lol
Posted 2006-12-05 11:59 PM (#52240 - in reply to #51560) Subject: RE: Caprock and Palo Duro Canyons
Member
Posts: 14
Location: Norman, Ok
LONGEARS am lousy at directions, but before you go down the widowmaker headed back to camp, one of the guys took one of the ladies and followed a smnall trail to the road. Went down the road across the creek and then headed down to the creek and met up with us in the creek at the bottom of the widowmaker. The guys were going to stay another day and he said he might take a hammer and work on that place. I don't know if he did or not. Several of them rode out the nest day and went in the direction of the road but I left to head back home. So I don't know where they rode.
I have heard some good things about the Honobio (?) ride. Organized, safe, good food and etc. I want to try it out next spring if it works out for me. I don't like big rides becaause sometime they get unruley, but I hear this one is good. Sounds like you will have some good weather.
I also am planning on going to Horse Heaven next spring. Maybe I'll see you in camp one day. Happy trails.....dar
Posted 2006-12-06 10:39 AM (#52247 - in reply to #52240) Subject: RE: Caprock and Palo Duro Canyons
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 303 Location: Grapeland, Texas
When we told the park people about the widow maker they had said something about going back up to the road. She said they had fixed it earlier in the fall but had a 9" rain that washed it out again. Maybe they will get to work on it again by next spring.
I think you would like the Wildhorse ride. It doesn't get real big and there are usually 3 different bunches going out to ride, or you can ride on your own. The only problem with riding on your own is they have been cutting a lot of timber in some of the areas so the trails are kind of lost. A few of us try to go up a couple of days early and help remark the trails. Maybe I'll see you there in April. Our group parks up on the hill, we have claimed it as ours. They have a lot of nice spots with water and electricity and have real nice bathrooms with showers too. It's not as fancy as some, but the people and the food is what makes it for me and the riding too of course.
Caprock and Palo Duro Canyons
