Taking Texas by the Handle

Smack-dab in the middle of the Texas panhandle is a little city just waiting for you to camp in its canyon, eat its steaks, and ogle its half-buried Cadillacs. If these are your main interests, Amarillo Texas has got all your bases covered.

Amarillo, so named for its plentiful yellow wildflowers ("amarillo" means "yellow" in Spanish), is home to the very beautiful Palo Duro Canyon, which is touted as the "Grand Canyon of Texas."

Old U.S. Route 66 (now I-40) passes through this former "helium capital of the world," paving the way for you to visit such classic attractions as the Big Texan Steak Ranch and the Cadillac Ranch—both definite must-sees for anyone who wants to really take Texas by the handle.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

Best Things Nearby:
The Big Texan Steak House and the Cadillac Ranch.

Best Things About the Resort:
The beautiful canyon and the unique stone cabins.

Resort Experience:
Called the "Grand Canyon of Texas," Palo Duro Canyon is a natural beauty. At the state park bearing its name, you can enjoy not only all of the scenic glory of the million year-old canyon itself, but you can also partake in camping, horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking and scenic drives. The visitor center also offers exhibits on history and geology.While primitive backpacking and tent camping are permitted in the park, I highly recommend reserving one of the charming stone cabins if you're up for something slightly more luxurious. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s, the cabins are so cozy and romantic. Ours—one of the four cheaper, smaller cabins in the Cow Camp Loop—slept two and was $55 a night. It was complete with mini fridge, fireplace, air-conditioning and heat, as well as a fire ring and picnic table outside. The cabin was surprisingly clean and well-maintained. Bathrooms are a convenient short walk away from these nicely secluded little cabins. You must bring your own linens and towels!Larger cabins with their own restrooms, showers, and panoramic view of the canyon are also available for $100 or more per night. (Linens and towels provided.)A horse trail winds through part of the park, beginning at the Old West Riding Stables and leading to the famed Lighthouse Rock Formation, which is truly an amazing sight to see.The daily entrance fee to the park is $4 per person—a small price to pay for the incredible memories you'll take home.

• Campground Type: State/Province Park
• Campsite Type: Cabin
• Price Range: $40 - $50
• Cleanliness: Excellent
• Campground Facilities: Very Good
• Recreational Facilities: Very Good
• Campsite Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Satisfactory

Only in Texas will you find a steak house with its own limo service. Not just any limo service, mind you (that would be too L.A.)… we're talkin' Longhorn Limo service, Cadillacs literally adorned with horns, and it'll pick you up from your hotel, a local gas station, RV park—what have you—and magically transport you to a land where big, honkin' 72 ounce steaks are free—that is, if you can eat it and all the trimmins' that come with it under an hour.

A humongous yellow monstrosity, the Big Texan Steak Ranch is a must-visit for anyone exploring old Route 66. Bob Lee and his family built the Big Texan in response to what he recognized as a dire need for a true cowboy steak house in Amarillo. As a result, he set out to serve the biggest steak in Texas. Since then, the Big Texan has grown to tall-tale proportions, expanding to accommodate a gift shop, bar, shooting gallery, slot machines, and banquet rooms.

In fact, when you figure in the adjoining Big Texan Motel, which is built to look like an 1800s ghost town and is complete with its own Texas-shaped swimming pool, Bob Lee's little project has practically morphed into its own town inside Amarillo.

If you're brave enough to attempt the free 72 oz. steak challenge in an effort to join the ranks of the 6,000 or so people who have succeeded, a few rules will apply. Not only will you have to sit at a special table where spectators will be able to monitor your progress, but you must finish the steak and the sides that come with it in under an hour or it'll set you back $50. A few other stipulations apply, but if you manage to stretch your gut to the limit, your name will be published on the Big Texan's website and your picture will be added to the wall (even in this century, cowboys are searching for new ways of proving their masculinity, I reckon). The 72 oz. steak is available 8:00am - 9:30pm 365 days a year.

Honestly, the food here (we ordered eggs, biscuits, and sausage for breakfast) was pretty mediocre, but you don't necessarily patronize a gigantic yellow restaurant with its own limo service for the good eats. Order your drink in a souvenir take-home boot like I did—all beverages taste better when served in a boot, so I have learned.

If you're intrigued by the legendary 72 oz. steak, but can't make the trek to Amarillo, don't fret, through the Big Texan's website (www.bigtexan.com), you can order the 72 oz. steak for 72 dollars and it will arrive in 72 hours.

The Cadillac Ranch, located along the remnants of old Route 66 (now I-40), is an intriguing roadside curiosity, to say the least.

The "ranch," which consists of ten graffiti-covered Cadillacs, upright and half-buried in a barren field in the middle of practically nowhere, was created in 1974. Amarillo's version of Stonehenge was cooked up by Stanley Marsh III, a local helium tycoon.

He and a group of artists, called the Ant Farm, supposedly assembled the sculpture to represent the "golden age" of American automobiles, but one has to wonder if something stronger than temperance beverages were involved in concocting this idea.

Most people who visit the site leave their mark on it—literally—so don't forget to bring your can of spray paint along. You get all the benefits of feeling like a miscreant without besmirching your clean record.

In August, the Caddies were painted solid pink in order to raise breast cancer awareness. By the time I visited them in November, though, the pink had almost disappeared beneath layers of fresh, multi-colored graffiti.

Feel like rediscovering your inner Thoreau? Wildcat Bluff Nature Center, situated along a section of the old Santa Fe trail, is just the place to connect with nature while in the Texas Panhandle.

The nature conservatory encompasses 640 acres of rolling prairie and bluffs, has over 5 miles of hiking trails, a prairie dog town, butterfly garden, and exhibits on the wildlife and people of the panhandle.

A great place to take the kiddos, Wildcat Bluff Nature Center often holds special themed events, educational opportunities and craft activities for children.

The center, which is funded mainly through donations, offers a variety of marked trails to explore that are about a mile long each:

Libb's Trail: wheelchair/stroller accessible cement trail that winds over 3 acres

Windmill Trail: leads to windmill and working water tank. A booklet available at the visitor's center corresponds to the marked trail and focuses on Native Americans and pioneers

Bluff Trail: culminates in view from atop the bluff.

Prairie Dog Trail: allows you to explore an actual prairie dog community

Whether you spend the whole day here, or just half an hour, Wildcat Bluff is fun for the whole family.

Admission costs:
Adults $3, Children $2
Membership $25

Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday: 9:00am - 5:00pm0
Sunday: noon - 5:00pm
Closed Mondays and Holidays.
Closed Sundays Dec. 1 to March 1.
Trails are open from sunrise to sunset.