The largest city in the Texas panhandle is Amarillo and there are some beautiful areas to visit while staying at a a fine hotel in the city. When you see parts of the Texas panhandle you think of James Dean in the movie Giant. Rather desolate and dusty with no plants just wind mills. But there are some great canyons in the area that add a nice twist to the scenery. The Palo Duro Canyon has an almost Grand Canyon feel to it only it is not as deep or big. The river that formed this canyon is called the Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River. Adventurers can grab as much water as they can carry and take a hike around the Lighthouse Peak, which is the grandest feature of the canyon. It is a six mile round trip loop that lets visitors enjoy the view. Visitors should wear hats, full cover and carry lots of water.
Along interstate 40 just west of Amarillo travelers can see the grand art project that was funded by Stanley Marsh III, the Cadillac Ranch. Guess he thought the area needed a little color so he had 10 finned Cadillac’s buried have way in face down in the flat plain dirt by artists of the Ant Farm. Over the years the Cadillac’s have had many different paint jobs. Usually, they are full of graffiti, which is encouraged by the owner but they have also taken on solid colors to commemorate events. They were painted pink for Marsh’s wife’s birthday. They were painted black when one of the founding artist, Doug Michels, died. This is a must see while staying in the area.
If there is only time to hang around town then there are some things to do. Visitors can spend some time at the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum which shows a great progression of the life in the area with many stories and artifacts. The city is also the home of the American Quarter Horse Association They plan many events and have many programs dedicated to the industry of the quarter horse. They have a great American Quarter Horse hall of Fame and Museum that is an interesting visit.
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