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8663 Hits
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79.78% Score
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11 Votes
Page Type:
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Mountain/Rock |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
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34.95345°N / 101.67625°W |
Activities:
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Scrambling |
Season:
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Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter |
Elevation:
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3158 ft / 963 m |
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Overview
Not the highest, most challenging, or most remote named peak in Palo Duro Canyon, Capitol Peak nevertheless is appealing for its aesthetic qualities, great views, and short approach and route. If you want a quick, rewarding summit, especially in the summer, you'll like Capitol Peak.Looming above the park's busiest trailhead and accessed after a short hike along the park's most popular trail (Lighthouse), Capitol Peak will beckon to any lover of high places. Views of and from the peak are best in the morning, but there are also excellent views of/from the peak in the afternoon.
Palo Duro Canyon and Capitol Peak are like a piece of Utah sliced off and dumped among the vast flatness and monotone of the Texas Panhandle.
Capitol Peak
 Capitol Peak Cliffs |  Capitol Peak Cliffs |
 Capitol Peak Cliffs |  Capitol Peak Cliffs |
Getting There
Palo Duro Canyon State Park is 12 miles east of Canyon, Texas and about half an hour southeast of Amarillo. Follow good signs to the park entrance. Once inside the park, drive about 5 miles, passing the Trading Post, to a major trailhead and parking area on the right.Route
Hike about 0.4 mi along the Lighthouse Trail to a junction. The Lighthouse Trail continues to the right; a mountain-bike trail goes left. Go left a very short distance and pick up an obvious use trail leading to an obvious gully.
Capitol Peak Route
Scramble up the gully; this is full of dirt and loose rock, so when and if you do use your hands, be careful, as the hardened mud that qualifies as rock here breaks easily.
Total one-way distance is about half a mile. Elevation gain is a few hundred feet tops.
 Capitol Peak Summit |  Capitol Peak Summit |
 Capitol Peak Summit |  Capitol Peak Summit |
Capitol Peak Summit View
Capitol Peak Summit View
Red Tape
The daily entrance fee is $5 per adult, not vehicle; children 12 and under get in free. Texas residents are wise to buy the Texas State Parks Pass ($60) when I got mine in 2016; it covers not just the holder but also all occupants in the vehicle.The park gates do not open until 7 A.M., and the staff seems to enforce this strictly.