Caprock Canyon State Park - Days 12 and 13

3:56 PM


Although we were reluctant to leave the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, we headed to Caprock Canyon State Park. The boys were a little happier about it since it was a short drive and since I let them know that there would be more bison and prarie dogs. The drive itself doesn't seem like it is leading to anything spectacular, but then all of a sudden you come across the glowing red cliffs and they are definitely something you need to see once.

Caprock Canyon is home to a free range bison herd that have been protected there since Charles Goodnight and his wife decided to start saving calves that they heard bleeting in the night when the buffalo were being killed off in the west. You can see them come right by your car, in fact, the pictures below were snapped right from the visitor center parking lot.




There is full hook-up camping available for $15 per night and we stayed in one of those. There are also regular toilets and showers, but beware the prarie dogs that are literally right outside the bathroom door. The hiking here is wonderful. We took a 3.5 mile hike through the Upper Canyon trail and the formations and cliffs we saw there were breathtaking, but beware of the sweat bees that build their homes in the ground on this trail.









The boys completed the junior ranger program here, earning them badges and we checked out fishing poles free of charge to do some fishing in Lake Theo. You can also swim there, but the boys weren't too interested. This really is a gorgeous park, the campground is well maintained, but the heat is brutal. It was over 100 both days we were there, so be sure to take plenty of sunscreen, salty snacks and water!

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29 comments

  1. Amazing photos. You look like you are right next to that buffalo.

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  2. Your pictures are great! I can't wait to see more from your trip.

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  3. Wow this place looks amazing. I would love to visit one day.

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  4. Beautiful pictures! It sounds like your trip is going well.

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  5. This place looks beautiful! Love the buffalo.

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  6. I am enjoying all of your pics of the great outdoors. If only I could breathe in the fresh air, too! Hope the rest of your journey is fabulous.

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  7. What state is this in? The rock colors remind me of Valley of Fire!

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  8. These shots are amazing, such a beautiful spot & the bison are a big plus :)

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  9. a 100 degree's WOW that is hot but the place is simply amazing love nature at its best

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  10. I love that you are blogging this as you go! How amazing are those buffalo pictures?!

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  11. Those photos are so beautiful!

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  12. I absolutely love how you are blogging as you go as Tiff said. This is such an amazing adventure for your family.

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  13. These colors are amazing - the Bison are such amazing beasts!

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  14. Great place for them to get their badges - congrats to them for finishing! BTW, that one rock formation looks like a gnome and a ram :P

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  15. Did you get that close to the bison or did you have a zoom lens? I would totally freak out if I were that close to to them. Great photos, btw!

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  16. The park is in Texas. TerriAnn, I meant to mention that the boys said it looked like a gnome too LOL.

    Leilani, I do have a zoom lens, but we were about 15 feet away from him in our van.

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  17. Some more amazing photos I hope you are having a blast and making awesome memories with the kids.

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  18. This looks and sounds like an amazing place!

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  19. I CANNOT believe these are real life pictures you caught. How amazing it must have been to seen it with your own eyes. I miss the desert so much :(

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  20. All that red rock is just absolutely incredible! I did extensive traveling as a child to national parks and such so I TOTALLY appreciate this!

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  21. That is beautiful scenery. Wow! Every time we see buffalo we break out into cries of "Tatonka" our ode to Dances with Wolves, LOL!

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  22. Those are some gorgeous photos. My husband would love to visit here.

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  23. You have really inspired me with all of your posts! I hope to do something like this with my kids someday.

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