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| | | Lower Comanche Trail Loop, TX | | | |
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Lower Comanche Trail Loop, TX
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| Hiking | 4.87 Miles |
560 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.87 Miles | 2 Hrs 5 Mns | | 2.36 mph |
| 560 ft AEG | 1 Min Break | | | |
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| partners | | On the third hike of the first day in Palo Duro we hiked the Lower Comanche Trail. This loop hike actually was the southern part of the Lower Comanche Trail. We started the hike on the very southern end of the park along the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River. The trail heads up along the east side of the river up close but below the Triassic cliffs and among the Permian layers. As with other parts of the Comanche Trail that follows along the Permian layers there are hoodoos and rock formations that will amaze you. We took the Rock Garden Trail back down to the river and followed a trail along the east bank of the river back to our start point.
The Southern part of the Lower Comanche trail climbs gradually a couple hundred feet up to just below the eastern cliffs of the canyon. Since there is a Lot to see along this trail you hardly notice the 2.5 mile climb up. We hiked to the junction with the Rock Garden Trail and took that back down to the river bed. The rock Garden Trail seems to be a favorite of people visiting the park, with its massive rocks that fell from the cliffs above. Once down at the river bed I was going to take the Sunflower and Juniper Riverside Trail back to the start point but I couldn’t get across the creek. The river gorge is about 20 feet across but 10 to 15 feet deep. I could see the Sunflower Trail on the other side but the river but couldn't get across easily. Fortunately there was a trail on this side of the creek, not marked on the park map but tenth mile trail signs marked the way. I will be calling this the Creekside Trail, the trail was marked with a C. (most trails in the park are marked with the first letter of the trail and miles in tenths). The Creekside Trail ends at the Sunflower Trail to the north and the Comanche Trail to the south. I will have to come back at another time and complete the Sunflower and Juniper Riverside Trails at another time.
Great hike to finish of the first day of hiking. The weather remained in the upper 40’s providing good hiking weather all day. This hike had the most hikers we had seen all day with about a half dozen other hikers/groups along the trail. This is a great 5 mile loop trail to take that isn’t too difficult but gives you a sample of what all the other trails have. |
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