$16 / night

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Nature

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People

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Buildings

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Facilities

Established Camping

Fortress Cliff Primitive — Palo Duro Canyon State Park

47 Reviews

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About

State Park

These tent-only campsites are in the Cactus or Fortress Cliff areas. Water is in the campground, but not at each site. Restrooms with showers are 1/2 - 2 miles away.

Picnic table Fire ring Water nearby Shade shelter

These are drive-up sites, you do not have to backpack to them. Tent camping only. No pop-up campers, travel trailers, or motor homes are allowed in this area.

Map: https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/park_maps/pwd_mp_p4506_007g.pdf

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Location

Fortress Cliff Primitive — Palo Duro Canyon State Park is located in Texas

Coordinates

34.94381975532512 N
101.66138381074514 W

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Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site

Stay Connected

WiFi
Fair
Verizon
Available
AT&T
Good
T-Mobile
Unknown

Site Types

Tent Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)
Group
Cabins
Equestrian

Features

For Campers

Market
ADA Access
Trash
Picnic Table
Firewood Available
Showers
Drinking Water
Toilets
Alcohol
Pets
Fires

$16

/ night

For information regarding reservations, contact this campground directly.

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Contact

General Info

Sonora J.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 9, 2024

Beautiful Camground - Almost Perfect!

Positives: Beautiful site and large! We were on the outer loop and had awesome views of the canyon walls Wildlife at camp - saw roadrunner and heard coyotes at night (eerie but also magical)! Staff were amazing! We came in after the entrance station closed and they had a packet with our name on it waiting for us with maps and more in it!

Downfalls: Only port-a potties If you were on the inner part of the loop you might not have as great of a view looking at other sites instead… Lots of bugs

Overall this would’ve been the PERFECT camp site minus the few downfalls. We would 1000% come back again!

Site041

Month of VisitJuly

Donna H.

Guide

Reviewed May. 31, 2024

I can't say enough about this campground. Perfect!

I grew up in Dallas and am sad to say that I didn't know about Palo Duro. The canyon sneaks up on you, literally. There's no foreshadowing until you turn onto the canyon road and then it appears if out of nowhere...majestic, serene, simply breathtaking.

Facilities are excellent and fellow campers, polite. The park has an excellent gift shop with quality silver and native art. I can't wait for my next visit.

SiteSagebrush #144

Month of VisitMay

(4) View All

Roger W.

Legend

Reviewed Mar. 27, 2024

Canyon walls Supreme

FORTRESS CLIFF Rating: 3.5 as not a lot of visual privacy from adjacent sites. However the view of cliffs is very clear Security: at park entrance Usage during visit: 50% Site Privacy: No Site Spacing: Fair Parking Pad: gravel Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Quiet during my short visit Outside Road Noise: Some sites are near the park road. Through Traffic in campground: No Electric Hookup: No Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: Scattered spigots Generators: Check Bathroom: Portable toilets Showers: At Hackberry CG Cell Service (AT&T): one bar here. Setting: under deciduous trees with canyon walls, viewable on both sides of the cg. Recent Weather: 30s to 70s Solar: Definitely Insects: None Host: not on site Sites: Sites: my favorites: 49,47, 45,43, 41* 37(close to the park Road, but on the outside perimeter of the loop.)

Sitedrive through

Month of VisitApril

(9) View All

Kevin L.

Scout

Reviewed Feb. 2, 2024

Excellent, Can't Wait to Come Back!

Wonderful sites and very nice park employees. I wish I would have brought my mountain bike, the trails are sick! Good hookups, spacious sites and clean areas.

SiteHackberry

Month of VisitMarch

FARUK A.

Scout

Reviewed Dec. 7, 2023

love it

Wow, Palo Duro Canyon sounds like a dream outdoor getaway! Can't wait to explore the trails and catch a TEXAS Outdoor Musical. Any hidden gems you recommend checking out? unscramble words

Month of VisitJanuary

Ferriss T.

Scout

Reviewed Dec. 5, 2023

good

The park is also home to a variety of wildlife, including deer, javelinas, and coyotes. You might even spot a bald eagle or a golden-cheeked warbler if you're lucky retro bowl

Natalie

Traveler

Reviewed Nov. 15, 2023

Beautiful views

Only a port-a-potty which was tough. But didn’t feel too crowded even though you are inside the park

Site39

Month of VisitDecember

Elise A.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 27, 2023

Amazing views but crowded

My review will follow suit with many of the other reviews . The way this campground is set up with an inner and outer ring, will leaves you feeling very congested and crowded. if you are on the inner ring of the campsite, you will not have an unfettered view to the surrounding scenery.

That being said the location is ideal for many of the hiking trails and if You don’t mind being surrounded by other people, than I do t have a single complaint. There is water access and porter potties for bathroom use (which are very clean for what they are)

Be careful of the time of year you may go, the flies can also be horrible if you go in the summer months.

Site42

Month of VisitOctober

(5) View All

Callie C.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 30, 2023

Awesome atmosphere

Love this state park, driving into the canyon is very cool. Campground located at the bottom - zero service w/ t-mobile. Bugs were BAD in July. Electric on site and water.

Month of VisitAugust

Fred S.

Legend

Reviewed Jun. 1, 2023

Good hiking nearby

I have mixed feelings about Fortress Cliff campground. It's in a scenic location. We camped there in a campervan. Tent & car campers there as well. The layout of the campground was a little confusing & strange. Sites were really close to the campground loop road. No privacy between sites. The shelter was good. Water quality was good. Three porto-potties; these were pretty clean & had tp. Trash dumpster also on site. No campground host; didn't see a patrol. One site had loud occupants through the night. Check-in was easy. Really good hiking trails. If I planned to come back, I will try to pay the extra money & get a site in the park's Mesquite Campground down the road; very nice campground. The campground had hot showers & a clean restroom.

Site43

Month of VisitJune

(10) View All

Shana D.

Legend

Reviewed Jan. 10, 2023

Primative Fortress Cliff

Excellent tent camping location inside Palo Duro Canyon. Winter camping is excellent here. The temps were really cold, but no bugs and no sweating made for a great Thanksgiving trip.

There is a nearby camp store with a simple menu restaurant. The also rent propane fire pits sonde there is usually always a burn ban.

Lots of nearby hiking trails. This campground is very close to the popular and usually full Trailhead for the Lighthouse.

Month of VisitDecember

(14) View All

Emily C.

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 24, 2022

Cabin stay and Backpacking

We stayed in one of the cabins that overlook the Canyon, situated right on the ridge (Sorenson was the name of ours I believe). The cabin was small but fit our family of 5 well since we had a cot and sleeping mats. Beautiful and night and in early morning/late afternoon, but the middle of the day was so hot there wasn’t much to do. Trails closed at 11 am since there was a heat advisory, and we hiked some anyways but didn’t go far since it was dangerously hot. We backpacked a minimal distance the second night and had a beautiful view of the canyon walls, although some trouble with avoiding cacti. The established campgrounds were mostly empty and we didn’t see anyone else when we camped in the backcountry area. The heat was bearable at night, but we had to sleep with the tent doors open for airflow. No fires were permitted.

Sitesorenson cabin / backcountry camping

Month of VisitAugust

(6) View All

Alex M.

Legend

Reviewed Jun. 19, 2022

Grand Canyon's little brother

What a surprise this place is! The land around Amarillo is flat as a pancake. But head a few miles south and Palo Duro Canyon opens up vistas that rival the Grand Canyon in Arizona. There are many foot and horse trails that offer a close look at the multicolored canyon walls.

There are several campgrounds on the canyon floor. I stayed at Fortress Cliff Camp Area. Each site has a paved picnic table space with an awning - very important here. It gets hot and the sun is relentless. The spaces are of generous size. I could have easily pitched four or five more tents. The ground is great for driving stakes, too. They go in easy but they hold fast.

There are water spigots at Fortress Cliff, but only porta potties (reasonably clean when I visited). For a real bathroom with flushing toilets, showers, and hot and cold running water that can run continuously, head down the road to Mesquite Camp Area. This campground is geared for RVs, which typically have their own bathroom facilities. Wonder why they built a nice bathroom here and not at Fortress Cliff? Hmmm.

Aside from the heat (about 104 °F when I arrived in June), the main downside here is the flies. They bite. Through clothing. Hard to stay in one place very long when the flies are after you.

Site42

Month of VisitJuly

(15) View All

LaRee S.

Ranger

Reviewed May. 3, 2022

Hot, but Gorgeous

Beautiful campground down a windy road. Tent site doesn't get much of the expansive views, but it is much easier to set up shade shelters. Beware of the heat, even when headed into fall. Pleasant morning temperatures don't last long.

SiteFortress Cliff 48

Month of VisitOctober

(10) View All

Mary

Guide

Reviewed Dec. 19, 2021

Stunning park with canyons in the middle of Texas panhandle.

This park is beautiful! We had a great time hiking the trails, many are easy enough for 60+ campers. Many of the campgrounds have electric and water. There are several campgrounds scattered through the park. The bathrooms were clean, well maintained.

We would love to return here. I highly recommend this park.

The road down through the park is VERY steep so be prepared.

Month of VisitJanuary

Stephani K.

Guide

Reviewed Nov. 19, 2021

Hidden Gem in Texas

I certainly understand why they call it the “Grand Canyon of Texas”! This is an absolutely stunning place with rustic camping and great hiking trails. We did The Lighthouse Trail all the way to the top and it was stunning. There’s a Trading Post inside the park with groceries, firewood, and souvenirs, they also make a great burger!

SiteCanyon Rim Cabins

Month of VisitDecember

(8) View All

Mark

Traveler

Reviewed Oct. 21, 2021

Great Views and Hiking

We stayed one night. The campsite we were in was spacious. The restroom and shower facilities were clean. There are plenty of hiking trails.

Be aware: the road inside the park has several up and down grades of 6-10%. In a couple of places there are switchbacks that make navigating a long rig difficult. Having said that, there were several large rigs in the campgrounds.

This park would’ve been a 5 for us had we not had trouble contacting them to get information about protocols for late check-in. We were never able to talk to anyone prior to arrival. When we left we talked to a ranger at the office and she was super nice.

We will be back, and hope to do more hiking in this very picturesque place!

Month of VisitNovember

Susan L.

Legend

Reviewed Sep. 18, 2021

A very special place

Wow!! It’s an amazing hairpin turn drive down into the canyon. Awesome views on the way! Make sure to stop at the CCC overlook at the visitor center for photos and make your text or calls here, because here’s no cell service in the canyon, at least not for Verizon. I followed a large class A into the canyon and they were able to make it down. I stayed in the Hackberry Camp area.

Nice space between the sites, mostly level with electric and water. 2 dump sites near this campground. So much wildlife and the hiking is spectacular. Hackberry campground is near several trailheads (Givens, Spicer, Lowry trail and Upper Comanche).

Make sure to check out the yurts for a real glamping experience.

Month of VisitAugust

(10) View All

Cade C.

Traveler

Reviewed Aug. 6, 2021

gorgeous, cheap, fun

went car camping just a few days ago. weather was absolutely perfect. it had just rained a little bit the day before. went hiking a bit.

Sitesite 049

Month of VisitSeptember

(5) View All

Megan B.

Guide

Reviewed Feb. 3, 2021

Quiet and Beautiful

Some of the other camping areas seemed less spacious and private, but we really liked our site in the tent-only Cactus Campground. It had a shade shelter, a picnic table, and a dirt tent pad. There was also a fire ring with a grill grate, but a burn ban was in place. The water faucet was just across the street and there were clean restrooms (with hot showers) up the road at the next campground. Even with some light pollution from town, the stars were beautiful.

We only stayed for two nights--not nearly enough to explore this incredible park. We're hoping to go back before it gets too warm.

Ryan H.

Guide

Reviewed Dec. 6, 2020

Must stop heading to Rockies

Absolutely amazing trails and scenery. The summer heat there can be tough and rugged but it is always worth the trip over.

Cheryl M.

Guide

Reviewed Dec. 5, 2020

Epic!

Upon entering the park, the descent down into the canyon is an amazing experience. The colors on the canyon walls and panoramic landscapes are breathtaking. The campsite was great! Had a picnic area with a pergola that overlooked the natural beauty. Bathrooms were clean and nice. It was nearly a full moon, so at night, the entire canyon lit up!

Be wary of tarantulas. They tend to stay out of the way, but something to be mindful of. We saw deer and turkeys too! Only stayed one night, but planning a trip back to stay several nights to explore and hike the area.

(5) View All

Christina

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 9, 2020

A top destination in Texas

We camped one night here on our way to Colorado over Labor Day weekend and I’m SO glad we did! We stayed at the tent only campground, Cactus Camp, and it was perfect - short walk or quick drive to the Mesquite camp bathrooms & showers. It was hot during the day of course but for the beginning of September, it was surprisingly cool and comfortable at night! The stars at night, were big and bright... We hiked Rock Garden just before sunset and woke up at 5:30am to hike the Lighthouse Trail for sunrise (highly recommend getting an early start for coolers temps and an awesome sunrise at the lighthouse!). If you’re visiting Texas or have lived here your whole life, this is a bucket list state park! Go ahead and add it to yours :)

(6) View All

Rebecca M.

Traveler

Reviewed Aug. 19, 2020

Basic

We stayed at fortress cliff campsite at the park. We got there after hours, and it was confusing to navigate the park at night. We did not have phone service at all. Our campsite did not have bathrooms or showers, although we were just a short drive away from them. The bathrooms and showers were fine, although not super clean. Our campsite had a little shelter and picnic table. Although basic, we felt safe and was a good place to rest our heads

Myc C.

Traveler

Reviewed Jul. 31, 2020

Came for the views

I came here to visit the cantons and was not disappointed! I ended up taking the trails to the Lighthouse and the views were spectacular. The folks at the end of the bike were there with extra water and cold towels to cool off . Great place!

Robert M.

Traveler

Reviewed May. 15, 2020

Second largest hole in the US !

Great fun , so pretty , awesome hiking and biking , pet friendly . We stayed 3 days in late February weather was amazing .

(7) View All

Loni P.

Guide

Reviewed Feb. 18, 2020

Amazing Scenery

This park is breathtaking with miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. Will return again.

Month of VisitJanuary

Dereyk + Sarah P.

Traveler

Reviewed Sep. 14, 2019

Red Rock Dreams

We got to the campground late Thursday night and were greeted by friendly staff. We were placed in the Fortress Cliff camp area. It was perfect for us, and far from everyone else. We got there right before a huge thunderstorm and were able to watch it go around the edge of the canyon—beautiful! We woke to a beautiful hot day and went on a hike. Friday evening was much busier and although the area we were camping in filled up, we felt secluded. The only downside to our camp area was that there were no bathrooms or showers. The porta-potties were very clean! We went to showers at a nearby camp area, only to be disappointed. The showers were very dirty and hair covered the drains. Something we can get past, but the park should pay more attention to the cleanliness of the bathrooms!

(4) View All

Jenna A.

Traveler

Reviewed Aug. 27, 2019

Great stay

We stayed a cabin for one night and loved it!! The views are amazing!

Month of VisitJune

J E.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 12, 2019

Beautiful, nice sites, peaceful

A true gem of a park in Texas. Hard to reserve sites, but worth planning for. HOT in the summer.

Month of VisitAugust

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to camp at Fortress Cliff Primitive — Palo Duro Canyon State Park?

Camping at Fortress Cliff Primitive — Palo Duro Canyon State Park can starts at $16.00.

What is the elevation of Fortress Cliff Primitive — Palo Duro Canyon State Park?

Fortress Cliff Primitive — Palo Duro Canyon State Park is located at 2829 feet.

Are fires allowed at Fortress Cliff Primitive — Palo Duro Canyon State Park?

Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Fortress Cliff Primitive — Palo Duro Canyon State Park, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

Does Fortress Cliff Primitive — Palo Duro Canyon State Park have wifi?

No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Fortress Cliff Primitive — Palo Duro Canyon State Park does not have wifi.

Is there cell phone reception at Fortress Cliff Primitive — Palo Duro Canyon State Park?

According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is available, AT&T is good, and T-Mobile is unknown.