Hiking the Cave Trail at Palo Duro Canyon State Park

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The Cave Trail at Palo Duron Canyon State Park isn’t an official trail but a bunch of unmarked trails created by visitors to find the best way to get to the cave. Depending on which trail you take it’s about .9 miles there and back. If you do not stop to explore/photograph the cave area it should take you about 20 minutes to complete.

How to Get To The Cave Trailhead

There is not a sign or an official trailhead. You will take Park Road 5 and look for the cave. It should be off to the right if you are coming from the front gate. It’s easy to spot. There is a small parking area near where most people start. If it’s full park on the side of the road nearby and make your way to the caves.

About the Cave Trail at Palo Duro Canyon State Park

As I mentioned before there isn’t a trail. Over time visitors made their way to caves. footpaths were created. If you want to follow somewhat of a trail then, you need to download the AllTrails Premium Map. Getting to the first cave is easy. You can see it from the road. There were eight people in our group and almost everyone took a different trail.

By the road, you will have to cross a wash and several sandy parts depending on which path you take. Most of the trails to the first cave are packed with sand and mostly flat. If you decide to go up to the cave, be careful. It’s rocky. One of the group members twisted his ankle and one of the senior-aged members had issues keeping her balanced as she went down. It took three of us to help keep her steady as we went down. I consider this to be an easy trail with some caution if you try to explore the caves.

Our Hike

We made the hike in late July of 2022 and it was hot even in the morning. Mid-morning it was almost 100 degrees. The walk wasn’t too bad.  Just hot. I could feel the heat through the boots. Within just a few minutes of the hike, I was pulling water from the water bladder.  The only difficult part for me and my wife was the climb up and down. Even then it wasn’t bad. We just scrambled up or rock-hopped when needed.

I didn’t realize there was a second cave nearby. I’m not sure where it is but it wasn’t visible from the road or the trail. Just follow the map. Other reviewers mentioned that the second cave is an easy hike and a slightly more difficult scramble to the cave entrance.

Advice

• Take water with you. It’s a short hike but even 90-degree weather can dehydrate you
• Sturdy shoes. No sandals or open ankles. There are a lot of sharp and loose rocks
• Keep an eye out for biting bugs, snakes, and other wildlife
• The terrain can be hot. If you have your dog out there, protect their feet. ( 5 second rule. If it’s too hot on the rock surface for your hand, it’s too hot for your pup’s feet)
• Apply Sunscreen before you hit the trail system
• Spend time in the caves. It’s slightly cooler than the trails and a great place for a short rest.
• A Good Pair of Polarized Sunglasses. The glare is bad.
• Wear a hat/neck gator to protect your head and neck.

Final Thoughts

Overall the Cave Trails at Palo Duro Canyon State Park is an easy trail and has some great views from the first cave. Would I do the trail? Yes but only to check out the other cave, go on the trail if friends/family want to try out the trail, or If I want to take photos from the cave for some reason. Other than that, there are other trails I want to explore first.

Equipment Used

• Oboz Sawtooth II Mid B-Dry Hiking Boots (newer version: Oboz Sawtooth II Mid B-Dry Hiking Boots) | Review
• Review: EnergeticSky Trekking Poles – James Johnston | Review
• Ozark Trail 45 Liter bag (a smaller bag would have been better if I had one)
• 3 Liter Water Bladder
• Water Bladder Insolated Tube Cover
• Magellan Boonie Hat

About the Images

I used my Sony a6000 and my Sony SELP18105G E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS lens. The images were then edited with Adobe Lightroom CC, Topaz Labs Denoise AI and Topaz Labs Sharpen AI,  Aurora HDR (no longer available but still a great product), and Luminiar Neo (partner discount codes: JJOHNSTPHOTOG10 – 10% off or JJOHNSTPHOTOG    –  $10 off) to clean up the images.