Miles and Miles of Texas

These five easily accessible scenic overlooks will give you Texas-sized views of the Lone Star landscape.

Story and photos by Gerald McLeod, retired TCDRS Communications Manager

There are miles and miles of Texas to see from these five scenic overlooks:

Palo Duro Canyon

Located outside of Canyon in the Panhandle, Palo Duro Canyon has been called the “Grand Canyon of Texas.” As the second-largest canyon system in the U.S., it extends 120 miles and is 20 miles wide. From the parking lot at the visitors’ center, you can see the multicolored canyon walls, but taking the road descending 500 feet to the canyon floor will bring the most wows.

Wyler Aerial Tramway

Unfortunately, the Wyler Aerial Tramway at Franklin Mountains State Park is currently closed for repairs, but the view of El Paso and Juarez, Mexico, from the parking lot is spectacular. At dusk, from 4,692 feet up, a sea of lights dot a landscape containing 2.7 million people.

Fort Lancaster Scenic Overlook

About 31 miles west of Ozona and eight miles south of I-10, Fort Lancaster Scenic Overlook on TX-290 offers an expansive view with spectacular sunsets. Long before the interstate, Government Road passed here on its way from San Antonio to El Paso. Now, RVers often boondock at the roadside park. Two miles from the overlook, you will find the ruins of Fort Lancaster.

Reunion Tower

On a clear day, you can see for miles from the 470-foot-high observation deck of downtown Dallas’ Reunion Tower. Billed as the ultimate date-night spot, the indoor/outdoor GeO-Deck offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the Metroplex that glows after dark. The observation deck opens daily from 1 to 9 p.m. The tower’s restaurants are currently closed for renovations.

Love’s Lookout

Most of East Texas is known for its rolling hills and thick forests, with the notable exception of Love’s Lookout four miles north of Jacksonville on US-69. Once part of Wesley Love’s peach orchard, a nine-mile ridge rises 240 feet above the valley. The Love family gave the land to the Highway Department for use as a roadside rest area that provides a 30-mile view.

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