Hike to Duck Pond and the Dry Waterfall in Palo Duro Canyon!

You can start at the Rock Garden Trailhead just past the Sunflower Day Use Area. From there you will take the 2.39 mile Rock Garden Trail, climbing 600 feet from a field of boulders at the bottom of the canyon to the Rylander Fortress Cliff Trail. Once you reach the fork at the top of the Rock Garden Trail, keep right. You will then hike the Rylander Cliff Trail along the canyon rim for about 0.8 miles. You will then see a small fork in the trail that goes right. This trail is the Tub Springs Draw Spur Trail and goes on for .54 miles. The first half of the trail is a somewhat steep incline with lots of loose rocks so be careful.

Once you get to the bottom you can either go right and take a trail that is not marked on the trails map to the dry waterfall, or keep on the Tub Springs Draw Spur. If you choose to go right, the trail will take you straight to the edge of the canyon. You will then follow the edge to the left for about 0.1 mile until you see the dry waterfall. Look for animal paths leading to the mouth of the waterfall.

If you choose to continue on the Tub Springs Draw Spur Trail you will continue to follow it for about 0.05 miles until you come across another fork in the trail. Stay right and you will continue on the Duck Pond Spur for 0.18 miles. When you get to the pond there is an old picnic bench you can sit at, and if you dare, you can even bring bathing suits and an inner tube to go swimming. This hike should take you about 3-3 1/2 hours one way so make sure to bring lots of water!