A Majority Of Palo Duro Canyon State Park Is Closed For 9 Days

It's been interesting in 2024 trying to keep up with the trails at Palo Duro Canyon. We've seen multiple announcements this year about trails being closed thanks to weather conditions. Recently, it was announced that a big chunk of the Palo Duro Canyon State Park is once again closed to the public.

Major Closure At Palo Duro Canyon State Park

If you're a big fan of spending time down in the canyon, especially now that it's cooler outside, you're out of luck. For the next several days, a big portion of the trails at the Palo Duro Canyon will be closed to the public. It all started this morning (Dec 3) and goes until December 12.

The reason why so much of the park is closed is that they are going to be doing some "wildlife management". Another way of saying it is that they are going to be taking care of the wildlife populations in the park. It's an important bit of business. It helps protect the ecosystem, preserves habitats, and helps cut back on unwanted interactions between humans and animals. It's ultimately good for the park, for the wildlife, and for us. That's just scratching the surface. The benefits outweigh the minor inconvenience in a big way.

What Is Closed During Wildlife Management At Palo Duro Canyon?

There is a lot that's going to be closed until December 12 at Palo Duro Canyon State Park. During this time, 90% of the park is going to be closed. As Palo Duro Canyon State Park put it online, "...we'll be at a 90% closure..." The closure starts at the Old West Stables which means you will still have access to the visitor center, overlook, and trading post.

When it comes to trails, it's easier to talk about what will be open instead of what will be closed. There are a few trails you can still hit, and they are:

• CCC
• Triassic
• Goodnight Peak

Those three are your options while the wildlife management is taking place. If you want more information, check the Palo Duro Canyon State Park website. It's a great place to watch for future park alerts and updates.