August 14, 2025

Road tripping through the Texas Panhandle last month, we descended into a giant crack in the earth southeast of Amarillo — Palo Duro Canyon, aka the Grand Canyon of Texas.

Palo Duro holds the title of second largest canyon in the U.S., after Arizona’s Grand Canyon. In mid-July, grasses were green and wildflowers were blooming thanks to summer monsoon rains.

800 feet deep. 120 miles long. 20 miles wide. Palo Duro is a big canyon.

We spent an hour or so driving the scenic loop, stopping often to admire American basketflower in bloom. We drove slowly with windows down, hearing buzzing insects and melodious birdsong. The Merlin app revealed the canyon was teeming with painted buntings, the holy grail of gorgeous birds. We were determined to spot one.

I don’t know why this video is so huge (what’s up, YouTube?), but watch it with volume on to hear a painted bunting singing.

American basketflowers were flowering across the canyon floor, some with just the basket-like seedheads remaining.

Their fringy lavender petals droop from white centers resembling fiber optic lamps.

A basketflower meadow, with orange canyon walls in the distance

While hunting for buntings, we spotted another exciting bird — a roadrunner darting along the sandy shoulder.

Meep-meep!

Yuccas and basketflower — a pretty combo against putty-pink canyon walls.

And then…could it be? As Merlin informed us a painted bunting was nearby, we spotted the red-breasted bird on top of scrubby trees.

He was pretty far away, so my photos don’t do justice to his painted glory (look it up online)…

…but I was happy to see one and watch him sing.

Like the painted bunting, the canyon is colorful, with orange-red sand and stone.

Silvery green yuccas and other plains plants thrive here.

Canyon flora

Grasses too

Panoramic view

I love the canyon’s rugged beauty.

A copper dragonfly rests on a twiggy branch.

Backlit seedheads and grasses

Chiseled tower

What a grand landscape Palo Duro offers, even if not as grand as that other famous canyon. It’s well worth a stop when you’re in the Texas Panhandle. For Americana, go see Amarillo’s Cadillac Ranch too.

To read more about Palo Duro Canyon, check out a post I wrote in 2021. And if you like scenery from the American Southwest, don’t miss my post about Capulin Volcano National Monument from this same trip.

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Digging Deeper

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