North Central Plains
North Central Plains
The North Central Plains are in the Panhandle region of Texas.
Understand
The North Central Plains are the southeastern reaches of the Panhandle region of the state. To the north, the Red River marks the boundary with the High Plains region and Oklahoma, while the Caprock Escarpment separates it from the Llano Estacado to the west. To the east is the wetter and more wooded Cross Timbers region, and to the south and southwest the landscape rolls into the Northern Edwards Plateau.
Cities
- Abilene -
- Childress - A convenient stopover halfway between Dallas and New Mexico.
- Cross Plains -
- Graham - With the largest historic town square in the country.
- Paducah -
- Quanah - Named after Quanah Parker, the last great Comanche war chief who fought many battles throughout the area.
- Stamford
- Turkey - Charming small Panhandle town near Caprock Canyons.
- Vernon - Historic town on the old Western Texas-Kansas Trail.
- Wichita Falls - Large regional hub near the Oklahoma border.
Other destinations
- Caprock Canyons State Park - Dramatically marking the boundary with the Llano Estacado Plateau to the west, this park has breathtaking scenery often overlooked by tourists who stick to the main interstates.
- Copper Breaks State Park - Southeast of Childress, this park has almost 2000 acres with 10 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Two lakes provide opportunities for swimming, boating, and fishing.
- Lake Arrowhead State Park, south east of Wichita Falls.
- Lake Kemp - Lake south of Vernon that is very popular for sport-fishing.
Get in
- US 287 skirts across the north part of this region on its way between Dallas and Amarillo.
- I-20 leads in from Dallas on the east and from Odessa to the west.
- Wichita Falls Municipal Airport (IATA: SPS)
- Abilene Regional Airport (IATA: ABI)
- Barkley Regional Airport (IATA: PAH)
Get around
See
- Medicine Mounds, on private land visible from US 287 near Quanah. This series of low peaks was an important ceremonial site for the Comanche nation.