The Elkins Ranch provided a slow, gentle exploration in comfortable, customized vehicles well equipped for canyon terrain. They were open air for great visibility. The guide was experienced, fun and informative. No hiking was required, but there was frequent stops for photography. |
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Before the tour, Lee Duquette checked out the jeep to make sure it was comfortable.
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The guide called the pyramid structure shown below, a TEXAS size ant hill. LOL
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This is a sandstone cliff and the area was carved in the 1880's.
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Water flows from the top of this rock to the bottom, but not very often. |
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Below: A panorama view of Palo Duro Canyon as seen from privately owned land beside the Canyon. This is the Yellow Bear Bluff area. |
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The dirt road, fairly smooth.
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Vultures on the cliff side
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The Two RV Gypsies arrived at the bottom of the canyon. The dirt road was narrow, but all the rough stuff was beside the road, not on the dirt road.
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The two RV Gypsies stood beside a fragile balanced rock deep on the floor of the Palo Duro Canyon. |
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Below: The photo makes you wonder how the rock is still balanced.
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Below: Two big chunks of rock were once one large solid rock and over time it has spilt into two pieces. The little stone is on top of one part of the rock because visitors are urged to use the small stone to tap on each piece of rock. The large rock on the left sounded solid, while the large rock on the right sounded hollow. Quite interesting since this was once one solid rock. |
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A WILD ANIMAL FOOTPRINT IN THE DIRT |
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The road back up to the top of the Palo Duro Canyon. The road looked rougher than it felt, because the jeep was built for this type of terrain, and the guide drove quite slowly. It was a fun, relaxing trip. |
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The last stop was at an Indian teepee and the guide gave a history lesson on the makings of the teepee and the Indian lifestyle of past. |
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AFTER you have finished viewing each of the five areas of Texas
in the sub-menu above, please continue on to the adventures of The Two RV Gypsies
in New Mexico.