Driving to Palo Duro Canyon, Texas

whatsnext · December 9, 2016

Has anyone driven this with their rig? As far as I can tell the roads look fine and the TX State Park Campground can accommodate our size so I just want to make sure there are no "gotcha's".

Thanks and I appreciate all the input.

Barncats · December 9, 2016

If you plan on going down in the canyon the road going down is fairly narrow and twisty. If you meet another RV someone is probably going to have to backup. Be a good idea to have someone at the top or bottom of hill stopping traffic until you are clear.

Mike

TXiceman · December 10, 2016

While we do not have an HDT, we do have a 40' 5er towed by a 1 ton crewcab dually. Total rig length is about 58'. We have no issues getting into or out of the park.

Ken

BigTexRex · December 10, 2016

While we do not have an HDT, we do have a 40' 5er towed by a 1 ton crewcab dually. Total rig length is about 58'. We have no issues getting into or out of the park.

Ken

I have the same setup and Ken is a better driver than I am. After traveling the route with my truck, I opted not to take my 5er down into the park and have no regrets.

docj · December 10, 2016

If you plan on going down in the canyon the road going down is fairly narrow and twisty. If you meet another RV someone is probably going to have to backup. Be a good idea to have someone at the top or bottom of hill stopping traffic until you are clear.

Mike

A Texan friend of mine suggested that I not take my 40' MH into the canyon for these reasons. He said that he thought we would be better off staying in the town outside of the canyon

mrfrank · December 10, 2016

I have taken my 44ft DP with Jeep Toad into PDC several times. Just drive slowly and use low gear and engine brake, if you have it.

2gypsies · December 10, 2016

We had no issues driving down the hill with our 40' MH and Jeep. Mesquite is the best campground.

David-and-Cheryl · December 10, 2016

We've been there twice in the last few months with our 41' fifth-wheel and Ford F-450. About 60' long total. No problems getting up or down the road into the canyon--just go slow. It's not that hard to drive. There usually isn't enough traffic that you have to worry about meeting someone on the road, but there are a few turns that are tight enough that if you did, one vehicle would have to wait before the turn for the other to get through it. There is pretty good visibility well before each of the turns, so you can see if someone else is approaching from the other direction and time it accordingly.

It's a beautiful campground. Don't let worries about getting down into the canyon stop you from enjoying it.

TXiceman · December 10, 2016

I have the same setup and Ken is a better driver than I am. After traveling the route with my truck, I opted not to take my 5er down into the park and have no regrets.

Like several have noted, slow and easy. Just gear down both going down as well as up. It is not all that hard.

Ken

whatsnext · December 11, 2016

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the comments. I have heard mesquite CG is good but the TxSP website directs me to Juniper CG due to length.

SuiteSuccess · December 11, 2016

David, if you're worried about it just let Sondra drive,

David-and-Cheryl · December 12, 2016

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the comments. I have heard mesquite CG is good but the TxSP website directs me to Juniper CG due to length.

We have stayed in both the Sagebrush and Juniper campgrounds. Both were very nice, and easy to get our 41' 5er into. Sagebrush and Mesquite are relatively close to the road out of the canyon as well as the amphitheater and other facilities. Juniper is a new campground that's a several-mile drive down to the other end of the park. The scenery is pretty, so the drive isn't painful, but just be aware that it will take additional time to get out of the park from there.

If you do go to Juniper, note that they haven't updated the signage at the entry to the campground yet (at least as of late September when we were there)--if I recall, the turnoff just says "Day Use Area" (which is in the same vicinity) and you'll pass right by it unless you are looking carefully at the map. It's then a long way to anyplace where you can easily turn around. Ask me how I know...

Big5er · December 12, 2016

Ask me how I know...

How do you know, David? :lol:

Sorry, I couldn't help it. You said to ask........

champ_49 · December 16, 2016

Been up and down it once with a 40' fifth wheel hauled by a F350 Diesel 7,3. It was no big deal at all. It was a huge surprise to us as we checked in and they gave us a map and off we went. Come around the bends and it was one of "oh sh**" moments at first. Of course going down is no big problem at all. We were there for 3 day stay and that whole 3 days I fretted about getting out of there. It's a 10% grade and it looks deceiving. Where we stayed down in the park was a very nice area, but I could see that hill all the time when I went outside. At the time going outside wasn't much of an option as it was 119* down in that hole with no wind. HOT! is all I can say. We walked right up that hill with no problems at all. Would I go back down there? Absolutely not LOL. I just didn't find it all that appealing, but that's just me and my wife.

David-and-Cheryl · December 16, 2016

Been up and down it once with a 40' fifth wheel hauled by a F350 Diesel 7,3. It was no big deal at all. It was a huge surprise to us as we checked in and they gave us a map and off we went. Come around the bends and it was one of "oh sh**" moments at first. Of course going down is no big problem at all. We were there for 3 day stay and that whole 3 days I fretted about getting out of there. It's a 10% grade and it looks deceiving. Where we stayed down in the park was a very nice area, but I could see that hill all the time when I went outside. At the time going outside wasn't much of an option as it was 119* down in that hole with no wind. HOT! is all I can say. We walked right up that hill with no problems at all. Would I go back down there? Absolutely not LOL. I just didn't find it all that appealing, but that's just me and my wife.

Yeah, Palo Duro in the summertime is not fun. We were there in late June, and it was too hot to do anything outside until the sun went down. It was much better when we re-visited in late October.

For that matter, most of Texas in the summertime is not fun, with the possible exception of the Davis Mountains. That's why we got out as fast as we could and spent the summer in Colorado.

whatsnext · December 18, 2016

David, if you're worried about it just let Sondra drive,

LOL. Hey, I just might so I can enjoy the scenery!

champ_49 · January 4, 2017

Yeah, Palo Duro in the summertime is not fun. We were there in late June, and it was too hot to do anything outside until the sun went down. It was much better when we re-visited in late October.

For that matter, most of Texas in the summertime is not fun, with the possible exception of the Davis Mountains. That's why we got out as fast as we could and spent the summer in Colorado.

It was I believe early October for us. Still to hot, lesson learned

txdslshop · January 4, 2017

I went to Palo Duro a couple weeks ago to scope it out for a later trip and I don't see it being an issue as far as driving in or out with our rig. Mesquite camping area looked to have plenty of room to me. Of course, I was in my pickup for a day trip and just eyeballing for our HDT later. Jeremy