Late Fall in Palo Duro Canyon
by Karen Slagle
Title
Late Fall in Palo Duro Canyon
Artist
Karen Slagle
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Soft light falls upon the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River in Palo Duro Canyon, Texas. The yellow grasses seem to have a glow about them. I live close to this beautiful canyon and often ride my horse there.
Palo Duro Canyon State Park consists of more than 20,000 acres in Armstrong and Randall counties, south of Amarillo in the Texas Panhandle. The land was deeded by private owners in 1933. From 1933 until 1937, the Civilian Conservation Corps sent six companies of young men and military veterans to Palo Duro Canyon to develop road access to the canyon floor and to construct the visitor center, cabins, shelters and park headquarters. The hard work of these dedicated individuals was important in the establishment of Palo Duro Canyon State Park, which officially opened on July 4, 1934.
People have inhabited Palo Duro Canyon for approximately 12,000 years. The Clovis and Folsom peoples first resided in the canyon and hunted large herds of mammoth and giant bison. Later, other cultures such as the Apaches, Comanches and Kiowas utilized the canyons abundant resources.
Early Spanish explorers are believed to have discovered the area and dubbed the canyon "Palo Duro," which is Spanish for "hard wood" and is in reference to the abundant mesquite and juniper trees. However, an American did not officially discover the canyon until 1852, when Capt. Marcy ventured into the area while searching for the headwaters of the Red River.
In 1874, Palo Duro Canyon was a battle site during the Red River Wars. Col. Mackenzie, under orders from the U.S. Government, apprehended the Native Americans residing in the canyon by first capturing 1,400 horses and then later destroying the majority of the herd. Unable to escape, the Native Americans surrendered and were transported to reservations in Oklahoma. Then, from 1876 until 1890, most of the canyon belonged to the J.A. Ranch and was operated by Col. Charles Goodnight.
Uploaded
December 11th, 2013
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Viewed 1,775 Times - Last Visitor from Beverly Hills, CA on 04/18/2024 at 12:14 PM
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Comments (31)
Bunny Clarke
We have many canyons that look a bit like this out here. The water is usually gone and dried up by June though. Gorgeous capture and scenery.
Karen Slagle replied:
Thank you Bunny, they changed the road so this exact view is no longer, so sad.
Anand Swaroop Manchiraju
Brilliant well composed scene.!!Love the soft light falling on the river.. L/F
Lenore Senior
Beautifully composed landscape. Love the curves of the creek and the subtle red in the mountain, along with everything else!! v/f!
Debbie Portwood
Gorgeous scene!! Amazing colors!!! Great comp as well! Fantastic capture!! f/love!! :D
Byron Varvarigos
What a wonderfully colorful wild place! Beautifully composed, Karen, with converging lines! LF