The Lighthouse Trail trailhead — the park's iconic hike to the Lighthouse rock formation, with the honest measure of its length, exposure, and difficulty. (Boone's 1874 battle tale dwells here.)
Pull into the trailhead parking here, because this is the jumping-off point for the most famous hike in the Texas Panhandle: the Lighthouse Trail, out to the great stone spire that is the symbol of this whole canyon.
Let me give you the honest measure of it, so you can decide, because this is a real hike, not a stroll. It's about three miles each way — close to six miles round trip — out across the open canyon floor and up to the base of the formation. It is nearly flat for most of the way, which fools people, but here's the catch: there is almost no shade anywhere on it, the sun off these red rocks is fierce, and the last little stretch up to the Lighthouse itself is a steep, loose scramble. People get into real trouble out here every year by underestimating it — running out of water, overheating. So: only take it on if you've got the time and the legs, carry far more water than you think you need — at least a couple of quarts a person — go in the cool of the morning if you can, and turn back if you're flagging. Done right, it's a glorious walk to an unforgettable place. Done careless, in summer heat, it's dangerous.
If you're hiking it, I'll walk the destination with you when you reach the Lighthouse. If you're staying with the car, no shame in it — the view of the formation from here is fine, and there's more canyon to drive. But before you decide, stay here at the trailhead a minute, because you're standing on ground where the whole history of the West turned, one terrible day in 1874 — and Boone needs to tell you what happened right here on this canyon floor.
Photo: Fredlyfish4 · CC BY-SA 3.0
