Immediately south of the town of Amarillo in the TX Panhandle is a residential area known as the City of Canyon.
The Palo Duro Canyon, about Twelve miles from town, is where the name Canyon was first used. Canyon began as a hamlet in the mid-nineteenth century to the late nineteenth century, although it was only officially established in 1906.
Here are some things to do in Canyon, TX.
Things to Do in Canyon, TX
1. Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Credit: PaloDuroCanyonStatePark / Facebook
The most breathtaking and magnificent scenery element in the Texas Panhandle is Palo Duro Canyon, which is easily accessible by vehicle, RV, or 5th wheel and is only twenty-five miles from Amarillo’s center and fourteen miles from Canyon’s Mainstreet town.
The wind created it, and water erosion of a branch of the Red River called Prairie Dog Town Fork over millions of years.
This Park offers beautiful views, ancient buildings and markers, fire pits, public facilities and bathrooms, vast stretches of hiking and bike paths, and more on its over sixteen miles of asphalt road that descends around 800 feet to the Canyon.
It also offers a place for Horseback riding, one gift shop with a grill, and a selection of parking spots with space for even the largest campers, and RVs are available for day outings, overnight tent camping, and prolonged vacations.
2. Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum

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Explore the amazing exhibits of the gallery, which feature everything from dinosaurs & prehistoric people to the Native Americans & West Texas Founders.
It houses the biggest archeological archive in Texas and is situated in the University of West Texas, not far from Amarillo and Palo Duro Canyon.
The museum’s enormous collection of artifacts, fossils, items, stories, displays, and other materials helps to tell the narrative of the region’s remarkable historical, scientific, & cultural achievements, which date back thousands or even millions of years of exhibits.
A professor from the college of West Texas named Hattie Anderson felt inspired to preserve the culture, the tales of bravery and adversity, and the triumphs and losses of panhandle founders and their forebears in order to create this history museum in 1920.
She established the Historical of the panhandle plains to gather and preserve artifacts related to the region’s natural and human history. People came together to support the preservation of their history and found, gathered, and contributed things, money & building supplies.
Even during the 1929 great Depression, the tenacious and diligent residents of the Plains gave their all. The museum first welcomed visitors in 1933.
After a number of additions, the gallery now occupies more than two hundred thousand sq ft of display and storage capacity on the campus, housing more than a million objects. The collection has continued to expand over time.
The museum’s permanent exhibits and collections are as varied as its historical holdings. The exhibit covers various topics, including art, military relics and weapons, clothing, transport, paleontology & geography, finding and refinement of oil, and daily living for both Plains People and members of the several Indian tribes that inhabited the area.
The following are a few of the gallery’s most noteworthy holdings:
- A sizable collection of more than four thousand works of art, many of which are priceless and significant masterpieces from the American Southwest. The gallery also has a 1,200-volume artwork catalog that is open to the public in addition to the artwork itself.
- An extensive display of goods used in daily life from the nineteenth century through the twentieth century is part of a broad and thorough history collection.
- An amazing assemblage of fossils from the Late Triassic period (over two hundred million years past), comprising huge, skeletal remains of numerous extinct animals discovered nearby.
- A scaled-down version of a pioneer town with real homes, a school, a bar, a livery, and other structures that let visitors experience life on the frontier.
Address: 2503 4th Avenue, Canyon, Texas 79015, US
3. Lighthouse Trail

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The Lighthouse is a three-mile stretch of road along a somewhat straightforward walk. Halfway down the parking drive, just on the west side, is the busy start for the hike.
It features a parking area with notice boards and a large trail leading westward through vegetation and over a sandy terrain to the beautiful, eroded cliffs surrounding this part of the basin, which are approximately a mile distant.
The path turns right and proceeds up & down various tiny hills & stony washes, keeping near the cliffs.
Two types of spiny opuntia, the pencil cholla, and the tree cholla, which produce vivid red fruits in the fall, are among the little plants and cacti that make up the flora as it becomes somewhat more sparse.
Horses and bicycles use the route. It is generally leveled and marked, with distance markers every half-mile and a number of rest areas with benches shaded by tall trees.
4. The Elkins Ranch

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Elkins Ranch, close to Fillmore, has fantastic views and is a difficult game for golfers of all levels. Elkins Ranch is pleasant yet challenging because of its well-kept fairways & greens, and the professionals can give you pointers on how to play your best round.
This is a great option for your routine golf outings or a brand-new location for you and your buddies to visit when you’re in Fillmore.
5. Creek House Honey Farm

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This apiary offers raw, regional honey & beeswax items for sale. The apiary is run and owned by George & Paige Nester, who did turn their pastime into an enterprise.
We are situated outside of Canyon, Texas. About thirty beehives are maintained on the property year, and Honey Buzz Winery, which sells mead, sandwich, stews, and baked items, is also located there.
We’re the ideal place to enjoy lunch with the family or beverages with some pals because we regularly host events like taco truck nights or concerts. Rentable occasion space is also available.
6. Tex Randall, Big Texan

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This is a good quick stop along the way. The Statue stands near a tiny parking area surrounded by a walkway. Additionally, a historical sign in front describes the creation and transportation of the Statue.
There is even a skoal ring in the rear pocket! If you’re from a rural area, you undoubtedly appreciate its importance. This is a nice photo opportunity and a free hipster hangout. You’ll adore it!
Address: 1400 North 3rd Avenue, Canyon, Texas 79015, US
7. Pioneer Amphitheatre

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This is a venue specifically for acting. Its weekly schedule features performances of musicals, plays, and concerts that are popular with locals and tourists.
In addition, it hosts concerts by the Texas Musical Drama and is available for private events, including galas and wedding celebrations. Come here for a great steak, bread, and delicious side dish meal before the show.
Address: 1514 5th Ave, Canyon, Texas, US 79015
8. Goodnight, Memorial Trail

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A visit to the mansion and its surroundings is worth one hour & a half. The renowned JA ranch was run by Charles Goodnight when his English business partner passed away.
He transformed a small prairie & Canyon into a vast empire of cattle. He assured his wife of a luxurious home. The home earned the moniker “castle” over time.
The county historical association has painstakingly restored the house and gardens with the kind assistance of many.
The new visitor center is even more recent than the restoration, which is not up to 2 years. The Texas Panhandle has a rich history with livestock and oil ranching.
Don’t forget to carry your “wild rag” (neckerchief) and stop by the Goodnight Graveyard to place it on the fence alongside the thousands of other tributes to Charles Goodnight.
9. Canyon Aqua Park

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This is a family-oriented water park wherein the staff works hard to ensure that each visitor enjoys a safe day. Swimming, eating, and having fun with friends & family are all terrific things to do at the CAP.
It has gained a reputation as the Texas Panhandle’s “must-see” waterpark since it opened in 2017. The Park has established itself as a significant recreational destination in this area, with over thirty thousand visitors each summer.
Address: 1900 12th Avenue, Canyon, Texas 79015, US
10. Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge

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Each year, numerous ducks & geese spend the winter here, a crucial wintering location for migrating waterfowl.
In addition, the shortgrass prairie, marsh, riparian, woodland, & cropland habitats cover 7,664 acres of the refuge, which is situated in Randall County. By maintaining these ecosystems, migratory and local wildlife species have places to call home.
Neotropical migrating birds and deer, among several other wildlife species, exploit the habitat provided by riparian regions, which are made up of trees and grasses next to the dry lake bed.
Cooperative farming plants food crops for wildlife in the dry lake bottom. The mixture of crops, stubble and natural plants provides nesting and winter shelter for migratory and resident birds who eat the crops.
Including a hundred and seventy-five acres recognized as a National Natural Landmark, it is home to a few of the finest surviving texture grassland in the country.
Historical American bison migration served to graze annually on shortgrass prairie ecosystems. Since the bison are extinct, grazing cattle keep this ecosystem balanced.
A moist agronomic unit in Stewart Marsh offers a habitat for waterfowl. Flooded each springtime, the unit gradually dries out, encouraging the growth of aquatic plants that are food for ducks. In the autumn, right before the arrival of the ducks, the area is once more inundated.
For aquatic birds looking for a rest break, the outcome is food and cover. Water tanks and manmade ponds contain additional water for wildlife.
Address: 28320 FM168, Canyon, Texas 79015, US
11. Palo Duro Riding Stables

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The best and friendliest since 1962, it is the oldest riding facility in and near Palo Duro Canyon.
Among the well-preserved secrets in the Canyon, ride among the biggest and oldest poplars in the region while watering your horse with spring water that emerges directly from the canyon wall. Our Cherokees are informed and hospitable, honoring true southern hospitality.
We have been a privately operated business for more than 50 years. The ideal chance to spend time with family in the beautiful outdoors and add a trail ride to your trip. There isn’t a cutoff age! Don’t forget to pack your camera! (Smaller children may ride with a parent, subject to certain restrictions.)
12. Texas Outdoor Musical

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Since 1965, it has dazzled audiences in the magnificent State Park. Over sixty skilled actors, musicians, and dancers transport us to the past while highlighting the hardships, accomplishments, joys, and intrigues of the original settlers, ranchers, & Native Americans, with the cutting-edge specialty. Texas Outdoor Musical is a summertime memory for the entire family, set against the majestic Palo Duro Canyon walls.
Address: 11450 State Highway Park Road 5, Canyon, Texas 79015, US
13. Burrowing Owl Books

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You will adore this location if you love books. New Books (both fiction & non-fiction), Manuals, maps, Picture stories, Specialty Gifts, Cards, and Local Authors are available at this full-service bookstore.
The only full-service bookshop in Canyon, Texas, Burrowing Owl has established itself as a downtown attraction for readers of all age groups and takes pride in its friendliness, customer service, and the high caliber of the goods they sell. So come by and say hello!
Address: 400 15th Street, Canyon, Texas 79015, US
14. Canyon Popcorn Co.

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They operate a neighborhood, family-run gourmet popcorn shop in Canyon, TX. When you enter their store, you will travel through time and discover a wide selection of retro candy, soda pop in bottles, sentimental toys, & fresh fudge.
We hope that you and your family relatives will continue to visit CPC in the coming years because of the wide selection of over fifty types of popcorn they have available.
With a wide selection of gift sets & popcorn tins, they also provide numerous alternatives for you to customize presents for individuals who are most important to you.
Each gift may be personalized to meet any event, whether a birthday, vacation, or business-related!
Address: 2304 4th Avenue, Canyon, Texas 79015, US
15. Palo Duro Zip Line

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Enjoy this zip line across Palo Duro Canyon between Dallas & New Mexico.
Great thrills are between 10 am and 6 pm every day in the summer.
Weekend operations may dominate during the winter. Adults and young children can ride it together thanks to a special tandem rig.
The “Big Zip-Line Ride,” which offers a breathtaking perspective, is this facility’s main attraction.
You’re going to love it here.
Address: 1100 State Highway 217 East Canyon, Texas 79015