Sky-high visitor counts. Deeply meaningful experiences.

For a once-in-a-lifetime experience or for life-enhancing activities every day, Canyon recreation has it all.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park: The Washington Post calls Palo Duro the canyon “that’s grand in its own right.” Nearly 400,000 annual visitors support that assessment. The setting is dazzling and explorations can go deep on the more than 30 miles of trail. Designated as a top Texas mountain bike trail, the park is also popular with horseback riders and hikers. Post-exploration, many visitors like a refreshing break in Canyon’s Dining District, but those wanting to overnight outdoors can choose from a variety of campsites or stay in the ruggedly beautiful and historic stone structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

TEXAS Outdoor Musical: Music, singing, dancing, fireworks—performed every June through August, the “Official Play of Texas” has it all, thrilling crowds for more than 50 years. Carved into a basin at Palo Duro Canyon State Park, the Pioneer Amphitheatre makes a grand stage for the production, while the talented and passionate cast of 100 makes it a true Texas-sized event, drawing annual crowds of 50,000.

Facilities for fun: The $6 million Canyon Aqua Park is just the latest addition to Canyon’s park portfolio that encompasses 300 acres of parkland (including a six-acre lake) and superb facilities hosting enthusiastic everyday play as well as leading regional tournaments in soccer, baseball, and golf.

Panhandle-Plains Museum: Measure the Panhandle-Plains Museum by number of artifacts (nearly 3 million), square footage (285,000), or visitor attendance (55,000 annually; a recent “Dino Days” event alone drew 1,300)—by any measure, this cultural treasure house gives visitors a feel for Texas history like no place else. In fact, a recent addition allows visitors to actually touch and feel Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Red Landscape,” a depiction of Palo Duro Canyon O’Keeffe painted while she was a young art instructor at West Texas A&M.