There's a First Time for Everything

Appreciative. The first thing I heard when I opened my car door was a peal of thunder. Which, ya know, is super encouraging when you're about to embark on your first ever backpacking trip. I had been meaning to get to Palo Duro Canyon State Park, billed as the largest canyon in the U.S. second only to the Grand Canyon, ever since I moved to Texas more than a year ago, but I never made the time. This April, I remedied that oversight. Or at least I hoped to, as long as the weather held out for me.

Canyon hikes don't all have to be hot and dry

My dog and I had already spent all day exploring the park and intended to finish out the day by hiking deep into the backcountry, finding ourselves a peaceful place, and setting up camp for the night. As soon as we reached the backcountry parking lot, though, the clouds closed in and I realized if I wanted to camp I needed to find a place quick and have the tent up before the skies opened on us. We hiked about a mile and a half up the river responsible for carving Palo Duro Canyon out of the surrounding high plains of West Texas before the thunder really started to roll and I became nervous about flash floods. The storm was coming up from down river, but what about later in the night?

Storm clouds made everything dark, fast

We turned and headed up the banks to a small ledge overlooking the river bottom and I started scouting for a campsite. I needed something somewhat sheltered from both the wind and the rain, as well as providing a small measure of protection from any errant lightning strikes. I ended up settling for a site tucked next to a small cliff facing up canyon - away from the coming storm. I had my tent up in minutes, and not too soon: I had just finished securing the fly when the skies finally let loose and I dove into the tent, throwing Callie in before me. We made it!

I know it doesn't look like it, but my tent was up next to a small cliff. Sorta. 

The storm really didn't last too long, and I was soon stepping out into a rain-washed red dirt world. I set up for dinner and settled back, watching the storm move away. I explored a little after dinner and discovered several campsites on top of the cliff I was currently sheltered under, and am making a note here and now to go back and camp up there on a clear night. You could see for miles up and down the canyon! Next time!

One teeny tiny little river carved one huge canyon

It didn't take long for darkness to fall after the storm passed, and I headed in to call it an early night. I fell asleep listening to a pack of coyotes yipping across the canyon... And then I proceeded to be rudely awakened by a serious thunderstorm with tons of lightning and thunder so loud I actually covered my ears. And you know what? Callie selpt right through the whole thing. She didn't even twitch. I have to say, she's a great adventure dog! Once the storm moved on the rest of the night passed peacefully, and I only woke up once more before dawn to an outbreak of coyote howls on my side of the canyon. That was it until dawn. Sunrise found me awake and packing up, anxious to head back to my car and hit a trail I'd been scouting the day before. For my first overnight backpacking trip (and with only my dog for a companion!) everything went quite well, despite the thunderstorms. I didn't get washed or blown away, didn't get struck by lightning, and survived a night in the wilderness alone. Sounds like a success to me!

I might have found a part of Texas that I love...

What I'm listening to: The wind in the trees and the birds and bugs of Caprock Canyons State Park - while backpacking in the canyons!