Hoping folks can asnwer some questions to help validate my childhood memory, or perhaps that I am crazy.

1) Many years ago, our family was on a road trip returning from San Angelo back to Amarillo. Somewhere along the route, there was a roadside canyon that had a small rest stop. When you stopped there, the canyon and hiking trail weren't far off the road. There was also a children's book written about this canyon. Any ideas where this is and bonus points for what the book is titled?

2) In Palo Duro Canyon, didn't it used to have a playground? Also weren't there some spelunking caves? Neither are on the PDCSP map anymore.

1- my guess would be you were on State Highway 207 between Silverton and Claude.

For #1, I can't come up with any good answers. The only thing even close on a direct route from San Angelo to Amarillo would be maybe Big Spring State Park.

If they did back roads, highway 207 would be a good candidate. Either Tule Canyon where you overlooked Lake Mackenzie, or the spectacular roadside park on the south side of Palo Duro Canyon.

Big Spring State Park

Lake Mackenzie

Lookout Point, highway 207

If they were really into back roads, Silver Falls near Crosbyton

Silver Falls, highway 82

No earthly idea about he book

Yes, there was a small playground, or at least a few swings in Palo Duro. They were just before the first water crossing, on the right.

Swings

However, when the idiots at the park put in bridges, instead of allowing you to drive through the creek, it ruined the stream flow, the sediment built up, and the area is now closed. Same thing happened to a campground in the area linked below, and I don't recall if it had playground equipment.

old campground

And if you guys ever went to Caprock Canyons, there is definitely a playground near Lake Theo

Caprock Canyons

There also used to be the Sad Monkey Railroad, until the park superintendent of the time ran them off, and a chair lift in the 1960s.

Sad Monkey Depot

chair lift route

Chair lift ran from about the parking lot for the Givens Spicer Trail to the Mesa in the lower left. You can easily see the cut in the mesa.

As far as the caves, my suspicion is that the park ignores them for liability reasons. I wouldn't call it spelunking, they are just small erosional caves. But it's a pretty open secret that they are there. The two that I know of are

Here parking lot is noted on the right

The Big Cave


Want to really go down a rabbit hole, do a search on the Antelope Slots, a recently discovered and "secret" formation

Could it have been Silver Falls Park near Crosbyton?

It matches your description pretty well.

Never mind, I didn't see that Canyonag had mentioned it.

When I used to travel the Panhandle for work, I would take all the back roads I could. I don't know about the swing sets but 207 on the south side of the canyon had some picnic tables. I parked there several times and walked a trail that crossed a trampled down fence and went down to a side canyon where I sat down and watched some aoudad for about an hour. Beautiful spot!

Thanks for everyone chiming in!

I have been to the 207 overlook many times on a motorcycle ride from Amarillo, so I know that wasn't it. Very beautiful spot, though!

I stopped by Silver Falls on my way back up to the panhandle last week. Also very pretty, but don't think that was it. It was over 30 years ago, so things possibly have changed, but didn't seem to be correct.

So, the search continues.....

Maybe a dumb question, but what do your other family members remember about it?

I've asked both of my parents and neither recall. My dad has always been into historical markers, so it's possible we pulled over to read one...

One more try. Blanco Canyon rest stop, south of Floydada. Historical markers, in the relatively shallow canyon. Marker for battle of Blanco Canyon, near the Coronado expedition camp site

Not a children's book, but maybe "Blanco Canyon". By Waddell?

I went to Palo Duro last Saturday. Beautiful 70 degree winter day. I hiked the Palo Duro Caves Trail that is shown on Google Maps but is missing from the official park map. Probably for liability reasons as CanyonAg said. The Big Cave however is definitely not ignored. They've even built a fence and gate at the road before the trail to the cave. I use the term "fence" loosely. It's just a two board fence that you can easily go around, over, or through.

There definitely used to be a large playground with picnic tables. There was a large parking lot surrounded by large boulders separating it from a large grassy area where the playground was. The creek ran right behind the playground. It was a great place to spend an afternoon.

The water crossings were much better before the bridges were built. Fun to play in the water and let the passing cars splash you.

I think the canyon is a shell of its former self without the playground, the water crossings, and the Sad Monkey Railroad. I'd love to hike the path of the old railroad tracks but there's a fence with a sign prohibiting entrance. Maybe I'll just ignore it one of these days or find my way to the path from a different direction.

Here's an interesting story about Palo Duro for you.

https://texags.com/forums/12/topics/3059745