Dallas to Amarillo Road Trip

A Dallas to Amarillo road trip is a terrific outing for your next vacation. With around 6 hours of driving between the two cities, you will be amazed at what you can see or do along the road.

Enjoying the grandeur of the Milky Way, exploring the second-largest canyon in the country, or rediscovering Texas’ fascinating history are some things to do on your road trip from Dallas to Amarillo.

Don’t be surprised if you can spend 2 or 3 nights on your way to Amarillo from Dallas. Yes, you heard me right. It also means you will go camping. If you don’t do tent camping, you can haul or rent a trailer or an RV for this trip. You can always stay in a hotel, and you will be surprised to see where you will bunk in a small town in Texas.

If possible, bring your bikes or horses!

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Driving from Dallas to Amarillo

After you google the driving distance from Dallas to Amarillo, you will find at least two different routes. Both will meet at Wichita Falls before continuing to Amarillo.

For this trip, you will drive the fastest route. From I-35E, turn to 183W toward I-35W. Take I-35W N exit toward Denton. Exit onto US-287 N and navigate to Amarillo.

Best Stops On A Road Trip From Dallas to Amarillo

DECATUR

About an hour after you leave Dallas, make a quick stop in Decatur. A drive downtown will take you to Wise County Courthouse and a few murals in the area. Don’t forget to grab a coffee from Trinity Street Coffee Bar (they roast their coffee.) Their blueberry and avocado pound cake muffins are the bests.

Then drive to Petrified Wood Gas Station before continuing on your road trip.

Wise County Courthouse Address: 101 North Trinity, Decatur, TX 76234.

Petrified Wood Gas Station Address: 100 S. US Highway 21, Decatur, TX 76234.

WICHITA FALLS

Another quick stop on this trip is Wichita Falls, about an hour and a half drive from Decatur. You will drive through the Historic Downtown around 8th Street and Ohio Avenue. One building that you cannot miss is the World’s Littlest Skyscraper.

If you arrive around lunchtime, you can eat at Gidgett’s Sandwich Shack or Casa Manana. Both are local’s favorites.

Then drive to Lucy Park to see the waterfalls (the namesake of the city.) The original falls washed away during a flood in the 1800s. You will see a constructed multi-level cascade on the south bank of the Wichita River. There’s a parking lot on Sunset Drive inside the park. You will walk about a mile to the falls and back.    

The World’s Littlest Skyscraper Address: 701 La Salle Street, Wichita Falls, TX 76301.

Lucy Park Address: 100 Sunset Dr., Wichita Falls, TX 76302.

CHILLICOTHE

Stop at Pecan Valley for everything pecan. You can find raw, bulk pecan to candy and gourmet pecans, homemade jams to BBQ sauces, and salsa here. It’s a place to satisfy your sweet tooth. If your road trip to Amarillo is closer to Halloween, the store’s yard is full of pumpkins. A beautiful place for pictures.

Another photo option in town is Turquoise Coffee Stop. You won’t miss the giant Rubik’s Cube at the front of the coffee shop. I can’t tell you anything about the coffee because I don’t drink caffeine. But from the reviews about this place, people love their coffee.

Chillicothe is around a 1 hour and 15-minute drive from Wichita Falls.

Pecan Valley Address: 1001 US-287 N, Chillicothe, TX 79225.

Turquoise Coffee Stop Address: 901 S 2nd St., Chillicothe, TX 79225.

QUANAH

Fifteen minutes later, you will arrive in Quanah. Besides the County Courthouse, there are two museums here that you need to visit. First is the Hardeman County Jail Museum, and the other is the Quanah, Acme, and Pacific Depot Museum. Both are free of charge.

The Hardeman County Jail Museum was a county jail started in 1890. It is a two-stories structure where the first floor housed the sheriff’s office and living quarters, and the upper floor held prisoners’ cells. Today the first floor features the history of Quanah and Hardeman County, and the prisoners’ cells on the second floor have been left intact. Don’t forget to spot where the sheriff’s children slept.

You will be surprised to see the Quanah, Acme, and Pacific Depot Museum. It is a beautiful architecture that many believe is one of the best examples of a historical depot in Texas. It houses an extensive collection of artifacts and exhibits of the surrounding areas. You will find lots of information about Quanah Parker, the last Chief of the Comanches.

But you won’t believe your eyes. There is a Space Room in this museum. Moreover, NASA and the Smithsonian Institute furnished the room. The story is NASA selected a hometown boy born in Quanah and graduated from Quanah High School to be an astronaut in the Apollo program. Unfortunately, he didn’t go to the moon because he died in an automobile accident in 1967.

Hardeman County Jail Museum Address: 105 Green Street, Quanah, TX 79252.

The Quanah, Acme, and Pacific Depot Museum Address: 102 Mercer Street, Quanah, TX 79252.

Quanah is also the first town where you will spend a night. The best place is to pitch a tent or set up your trailer/RV in Copper Breaks State Park.

Why stay at the park? Copper Breaks State Park is an International Dark Sky Park. You will see the Milky Way or at least watch one of the best night skies in Texas here.

If you prefer to stay in a hotel, you can stay at SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western Quanah. The only hotel in the city.

Copper Breaks State Park Address: 777 Park Road 62, Quanah, TX 79252-7679.

Before you leave for the next destination in the morning, drive around the park and do a couple of hikes. Juniper Ridge Nature Trail and Bull Canyon Trail are the best choices. A stop at the museum inside the Visitor Center is also a must. A place to learn about nature, wild animals, and the park’s history.

CHILDRESS

Your next quick stop is at Childress Visitors Center, about 30 minute from Quanah. It was closed when we were there, but you can take a funny picture outside with the Childress sign. You will be the I in the city sign.

Address: 100 Ave F NW, Childress, TX 79201.

TURKEY

Another quick stop at a small town in Texas. You must expect to see a turkey picture or statue from the town’s name. Turkey was also home to Bob Wills, the King of Western Swing. So, you will find one of the prettiest Texas-shaped statues in this city with a fiddle, a windmill, and a Texas flag image with a red canyon as the background.

Turkey is about 45 minute’s drive to the west of Childress. It is also your last stop before you set up your trailer at Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway in Quitaque.

QUITAQUE (pronounce: kitty-quay)

You will spend at least two nights in Quitaque. There are many things to do and see in Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway. It may not be an International Dark Sky Park, but the night sky here is pretty amazing!

Here are some things to do at the park: hiking and mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing, swimming, and no-wake boating at Lake Theo. Also, there is access to the Trailway from the park or trailheads.

When you stop at the Visitors Center, look for the Ranger’s Program. If you travel with children, pick up the Junior Ranger Activity Journal.

Quitaque is a Bison Capital of Texas. You will find lots of them in the park. So, expect to wake up to a bison grazing on the grass by your campsite. It’s an incredible experience!

In September, you can join the Texas State Bison Herd Music Festival in downtown Quitaque.

One thing that struck me was the spacious reddish canyon on the horizon as we drove to our campsite in Caprock Canyons State Park. In Texas, I thought I could only see the red canyon in Palo Duro Canyon State Park, your next destination.

Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway Address: 850 Caprock Canyon Park Road, Quitaque, TX 79255.

CANYON

Today you will visit the second largest canyon in the country: Palo Duro Canyon State Park. You will also spend at least a couple of nights here. It will take you around an hour and a half to drive from Quitaque to the park.

Hiking to the Lighthouse is a must, but the park has more interesting trails to tackle. Or,  explore the park from the saddle. You can take a guided tour with the Old West Stables on the canyon floor if you don’t bring your horses.

You must watch the TEXAS Outdoor Musical that runs Tuesdays through Sundays in the summertime. It’s a performance about the struggles and triumphs of early settlers. It is a family-friendly show with singing, dancing, fireworks, and lots of Texas humor. Come early for a barbeque dinner on a covered patio.

While here, don’t forget to make a drive to downtown Canyon. Visit the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in Texas.

Another thing to do is ziplining. It’s not in the park, but its location is not too far from the park.

For accommodations, you can stay at one of their campgrounds or experience glamping on the canyon floor. Another option is to stay in one of the hotels in Canyon.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park Address: 11450 State Hwy Park Rd 5, Canyon, TX 79015.

Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum Address: 2503 4th Avenue, Canyon, TX 79015.

Palo Duro Canyon Zipline Adventure Park Address: 11100 State Hwy 217 East, Canyon, TX 79015.

AMARILLO

The end of your road trip destination from Dallas is about 30 minutes drive to the north of Palo Duro Canyon SP. There are three places that you must visit on your first trip to Amarillo: Cadillac Ranch, the Big Texan Steak Ranch, and the Route 66 Historic District.

Since you will spend two to three nights in town, here are more suggestions on where to go in this large city in the Texas Panhandle.

• Don Harrington Discovery Center
• American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum
• RV Museum
• Amarillo Museum of Art (admission is always free)
• Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument

For more options, click this link of Amarillo Convention & Visitor Council. This way, you can pick attractions that suit you more.

Amarillo is the largest city on the portion of Route 66 that goes from Oklahoma to Texas into New Mexico. Besides the Cadillac Ranch and the Big Texan, you must go further to trace the history of Mother Road. To the west of Amarillo, you will find the famous Midpoint Cafe – located at the midpoint of Route 66. To the east of Amarillo, you will find the iconic Tower Station and U-Drop Inn Cafe in Shamrock, Texas. These two structures were built in 1936 and are now one of Route 66’s most recognizable historic buildings.

Another must-see Route 66 related-attraction is Bill’s Backyard Classics. It’s in Amarillo but not on Route 66. You will see more than 100 cars and trucks of all makes and models from 1920 – 2012. They are a private collection of Bill Pratt.

There are plenty of accommodations to choose from in the city. You can stay at RV Parks, hotels, or Airbnb that suit your budget.

Cadillac Ranch Address: 13651 I-40 Frontage Rd, Amarillo, TX 79124.

Big Texan Steak Ranch Address: 7701 I-40 East, Amarillo, TX 79118.

Route 66 Historic District Address: 3511 6th Ave Amarillo, TX 79106.

Midpoint Cafe Address: 305 W Historic Rte 66, Adrian, TX 79001.

Tower Station and U-Drop Inn Cafe Address: 111 U.S. Rte 66, Shamrock, TX 79079.

Bill’s Backyard Classics Address: 5309 S Washington St., Amarillo, TX 79110.

CLAUDE

On the way home to Dallas, stop at Charles and Mary Ann Goodnight Ranch State Historic Site. As you have learned about bison from Caprock Canyons SP, the bison herd in the park are descendants of the herd raised by Charles and Mary Ann Goodnight. Together with business partner John Adair, they established the first cattle ranch in the Texas Panhandle in 1887.

You will also see a Quanah Parker Trail giant arrow marker at the ranch. It commemorates the friendship between Charles Goodnight and Quanah Parker, the last Chief of the Comanche.

Charles and Mary Ann Goodnight Ranch State Historic Site Address: 4989 Co Rd 25, Claude, TX 79019.

HOME SWEET HOME

It is the end of your road trip from Dallas to Amarillo and back. Your drive is full of surprises, and you wonder why you haven’t done this since long ago. But now you can suggest this trip itinerary from Dallas to Amarillo and back with your friends and families.

See you on the next road trip to Texas!