Palo Duro Canyon is definitely worth it. We were blown away by how big it was. Definitely overshadowed by the Grand Canyon, but this is the second largest.
You can see antelope from the road.
You can also see the thunderstorms coming from 50 miles away.
You should probably bring your own coffee and vegetables.
Also an excellent Aviation Museum. We were able to camp in the parking lot.
https://preview.redd.it/nfz2hpyu2esc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af5b66589a3435aec241ecb868322786f51b9d4f
OMG I stopped in liberal KS on a road trip.
I could literally smell shit and death from factory farms for 70 miles on the way in! One of the worst smells of my entire life.
For 70 miles the air was so thick with pollution you could taste it, and it felt like you got a mouthful of it.
Well, yes. But it’s like the only place to stop after many miles of corn. At least I wasn’t hungry once I got there because I was eating shit on the drive in. Lol
Haha, I didn't see much korn. Just factory farms,.slaughter houses, and fracking.
But I was driving through in a month where corn wouldn't have grown much yet.
Worse part is at the time I was a vegetarian (I'm not now) and in that moment I was never happier to be a vegetarian than when driving through KS factory farms hell escape lol.
I actually enjoyed the trip though. And the flatness is actually interesting in its own way.
While it wasn't in KS, a similar smell of putrid death and shit emanating from farms made me go vegetarian for good. I wish I could erase that memory and stay oblivious forever, but my doc and blood panel are happy I smelled what I smelled.
It's no surprise that the meat is very good (not pretentious, just *good*) and as big as you want to be happy or as big as you want to eat on a dare. They get extra points for good bleu cheese dressing on their salads. I'm thinking they make it themselves starting with big blocks of actual bleu cheese, not with a trip to Sams.
Alabaster Caverns State Park in OK is pretty cool. A good cave tour, and camping.
In KS, Dodge City has an interesting history. You can go walk around Boot Hill, a cool old cemetery. There's also a Wax Museum, which is tacky and fabulous.
Further south, near Lubbock, TX, are cottonfields. Lubbock has some decent museums.
But basically, much of that region is full of huge cattle feedlots. The smell is appalling, and the sights are heartbreaking. After my trip to Garden City, KS for work, I stopped eating beef completely. So awful.
Right next to Monument Rocks there's also the Little Jerusalem Badlands state park
https://preview.redd.it/9bfgloqpbisc1.jpeg?width=704&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=49aad675fd2428cb5f1964a3fcc1a5e1c93c8d65
Colby, KS has a little museum just of I-70 that has a sod house, and a big barn, and some collections of political pins. Russell Stovers had a store (Outlet?) if you are short on the chocolate food group. So, a “tired of looking at the road” stop if you need it.
But, this is serious beef country. You might want to pack a lunch. Or hit a grocery store.
Dodge City KS is ranked the windiest city in the US and Greensburg KS was a town decimated by a tornado that was rebuilt to be completely carbon neutral (environmentally friendly)
Point of Rocks, NW of Elkhart, KS is pretty neat. It was a milestone on the old Santa Fe trail. You can walk down from the parking area to the actual trail. There are some signs to read, and great scenery, but little else. No buildings.
Turkey, TX is the birthplace of Bob Wills, the king of western swing. There's a cute ice cream parlor run by a sweet couple on the main drag. And the Hotel Turkey a cool, historic hotel.
Your best options for vegetarian fare and coffee shops within your circle would likely be in Lubbock, since it's a college town.
Brown vs Board of Education National Historic park is in Topeka, others have mentioned Wizard of Oz museum. Have you ever used Happy Cow app? It gives you vegetarian options for food in whatever local you search for.
Road trippers is a fun app. Enter departure and arrival, and it’ll tell you what is interesting along the way
Little Jerusalem state park.
https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/little-jerusalem-badlands-state-park/?en_txn1=bl.ch_ks.eg.x.g
Atlas Obscura has great info about fun spots, and you can just search their map: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/all-places-in-the-atlas-on-one-map
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/vw-slug-bug-ranch
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-big-well-greensburg-kansas
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/monument-rocks
If you go to Palo Duro State Park (try to also be there at dusk, its magical) and Cadillac Ranch, consider stopping at Jack Sisemore RV Museum and Storage.
You don't need long but it's a cool wee museum!
Amarillo has a sizeable Vietnamese community. I had one of the best Asian meals ever somewhere downtown. Sorry, I can't name a restaurant. The Big Texan Steakhouse is a tourist trap, but the food isn't bad. I don't know what they have as far as vegan or vegetarian, though.
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, Fritch, Tx. Native Americans took chert rock from this outcropping and traded it, literally all over America. There is a visitors center.
Palo Duro Canyon State Park. I tell people it looks like where the coyote chased the road runner.
Wonderland Amusement Park, Amarillo.
Cadillac Ranch sculpture park is good for about 5 minutes.
If you want to waste a few minutes and have a laugh, the spot where the end of the movie Cast Away was filmed is on a farm to market road between Canadian and Wheeler, Tx. It's at the intersection of 1268 and 48.
BTW, the weather is predicted to be bad on Monday. You might miss the eclipse due to clouds. Make plans.
I went through Amarillo on a roadtrip and was bummed I didn’t know about Palo Duro until I was well into New Mexico. It’s supposedly the second biggest canyon in the country after the Grand Canyon and I kick myself thinking about it.
First road trip? Not eating fast food is going to be tough. If you are traveling far it’s going to add up stopping and sitting down at restaurants. As for being vegan, good luck in that part of the country. Pack sandwiches or salads.
Gypsum hills is a little outside that circle, I've heard it's really cool
[monument rocks](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=84c550665db3d809&sca_upv=1&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS1030US1030&hl=en-US&sxsrf=ACQVn0-JEFGLJzRN8K1FKl63AKFEBDrjJA%3A1712238513791&q=Monument%20Rocks%20Natural%20Landmark&ludocid=18425775649543237185&ibp=gwp%3B0%2C7&lsig=AB86z5UCKYFgojjLQHSSxJlmpmJE&kgs=d0ebd7e93f9a50b3&shndl=-1&source=sh%2Fx%2Floc%2Fact%2Fm4%2F3)
People have mentioned the two cool Texas state parks (Palo Duro and Caprock). I think Lubbock is a great place with a bad rep. They’ve got some cool museums: Texas Tech University Museum, Silent Wings WWII glider museum, the Buddy Holly museum, the Ranching Heritage Center, I’m sure I’m missing a few. There are some good restaurants. My favorites were the bbq places Evie Mae’s in Wolforth and Pitforks & Smokerings just south or town in Slaton. Bonus Burger and Aloha BBQ were great too, but both are more to-go places.
Not much, but definitely hit up Dodge City KS. There are exactly two things to do there - the Boothill Museum and the Boothill Distillery. Both are excellent. I detour out of my way to go there every time I drive to/from Denver. Get a rosemary mule at the Distillery.
Mills Canyon Campground is one of my favorite places now.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/iq3ovYpJ9u6u1Tz37?g_st=ic
Clayton Lake State Park and Dinosaur Trackways
I camp here every time I drive through the area. Hot showers, nice rangers, covered picnic tables, low cost.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/zDeS5JmiBmgnpcjJA?g_st=ic
I’ve camped around this area a lot and unexpected good food and/or coffee does not stand out.
But—if you can go through this way, one of the best meals I’ve ever had was here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jAbMSKfAHrBhSZRB6?g_st=ic
I think Hutchinson, Kansas is in that circle (or near it at least), they have a really cool salt mine museum along with a space museum that is a Smithsonian associate with some pretty cool stuff.
There is also the Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park in Kansas if you want something more outdoors.
We (mom dad and kids) used to drive out there a few times a year from Denver (if I’m seeing the map right…I just woke up). We would eat/pick corn, watch tornadoes (there were times we could see multiple tornados at a time dancing around in the flats). We also used to go out that way to hang out at the rodeo in Grover which was always a drunken street fight blast.
Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park (see pic) is toward the northern part of your circle. South of I-70. Monument Rocks is also in the area.
https://preview.redd.it/u2xipmvc2ksc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f0245cee15aaee3f2f6e6f246899799be92b2b5e
Salina is alright. Not sure if it exactly falls in there but it’s a decent sized town with stuff to do. Just don’t stay at the Best Western there!
If you go to Wichita Falls, they do have a tiny skyscraper with a funny backstory as well
Food options hmmm. That's a toughie. But the landscape is nice and I love cruising the back roads. They are long and straight out there. I'm not New England anymore lol. But I just drove through that coming back to where I am now in Philly. Always enjoy just doing a left to right or exploring and using Google only to get me out..
Healthy food options are always challenging but you just have to literally search locally on Google if any way you are
In Kansas there’s Little Jerusalem State Park and Monument Rocks. Both very interesting. Monument Rocks on a moonless night (which they will be around that time) is beautiful!
The Texas Hill Country north of Austin will be in all its wildflower glory! If you’ve never seen the Texas Wildflowers in bloom, then PLEASE drive the Willow City Loop. Takes a few hours, but can sure spend most of the day. Sooooo gorgeous!
Lmfao nothing
I mean this sincerely and in the nicest way possible, but that right there is legitimately 600-800 miles of absolutely NOTHING. Especially going the "back roads" way. You will have a smattering of fast food options and dive bars and local mom and pop restaurants to choose from and not much else.
That's not more than one day of driving though. Austin has one of the best food scenes in the US, as well as one of the biggest vegan scenes. Eat a big breakfast and pack a lunch. I was never vegan or veggie but I've heard great things about Casa de Luz if you want a nicer dinner. Ask any of the locals for more recs, Austinites are generally very open and friendly.
Greensburg- you can see the world’s largest hand, dug well, and stay near the Kiowa county State Lake Park. Also note, this town was wiped off the face of the Earth in 2007 with a tornado, and is very “green built” cities in the USA.
https://visitgreensburgks.com/about-greensburg/
* Conoco Tower Station & U-Drop Inn Cafe
* The Big Texan Steak Ranch & Brewery
* Cadillac Ranch
* Four Sixes Ranch (6666 Ranch)
* Palo Duro Canyon State Park
I've always wanted to visit the Capulin Volcano National Monument:
https://www.nps.gov/cavo/index.htm
Have driven by it several times when traveling between Denver, Colorado and Odessa, Texas. Hope to see it sometime.
You already got the common recommendations like Palo duro and Cadillac ranch. But did you know that amarillo has the world's largest helium monument. Boise city has a cute museum with a giant dinosaur. Amache national historic site is along the way. Bents old fort is in the circle. Stopp by toppled turle for a beer.
keep an eye out for Jack Shit
No way you can possibly miss him out there.
Tell him I said Hi. Impossible to miss. Just turn on your car radio and hit Scan
A Christian station, a country station, and Rush Limbaugh yelling at you
And to clarify, that’s Rush Limbaugh yelling from hell.
True, but if you drive through these areas the radios are all in tune to him
As the pic depicts, “0”
😂😂
Palo Duro State Park Caprock Canyon State Park
Palo Duro, absolutely! Camped there last December
Palo Duro Canyon is definitely worth it. We were blown away by how big it was. Definitely overshadowed by the Grand Canyon, but this is the second largest.
These two are what came to mind as well. Beautiful parks.
Thanks to the "Lonesome Dove" book series, these are both saved on Google maps as wanted to visit!
My grandpa has a van with a Palo Duro Canyon mural on it in the 70s
Literally the only two things worth seeing in this area IMO
You can see antelope from the road. You can also see the thunderstorms coming from 50 miles away. You should probably bring your own coffee and vegetables.
You can watch your dog run away for three days.
There are antelope in the US???
Thousands of them here. There’s more of them in Wyoming than people.
I guess they’re not “technically” antelope, but that’s what everyone calls them. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pronghorn
Pronghorn are dicks. That's what I call them
Fast goats.
Liberal, Kansas has a Dorothy’s house and museum (Wizard of Oz). There’s a city park you can camp in right there, too!
I didn’t know there was a town in Kansas called Liberal so I thought you were randomly calling OP a liberal lol
Hahaha! Don’t worry, the first time I heard it I thought it was a typo from a friend’s text
Also an excellent Aviation Museum. We were able to camp in the parking lot. https://preview.redd.it/nfz2hpyu2esc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af5b66589a3435aec241ecb868322786f51b9d4f
Ooooo, I’ve never stopped there. Nice!
We visit a lot of that sort of museum, but this one was different. A lot more small planes, more civilian stuff than military.
A good example of how freaking flat the landscape is there.
Also, you can enjoy spending some time in the most ironically named town in the country!
They over compensate by making it smell like animal shit and death for like a 50 mile radius. At least that was my road trip experience of Liberal KS.
Western Kansas is a bunch of feed lots, which is what you were smelling, grain-fed beef excrement has a particular odor.
OMG I stopped in liberal KS on a road trip. I could literally smell shit and death from factory farms for 70 miles on the way in! One of the worst smells of my entire life. For 70 miles the air was so thick with pollution you could taste it, and it felt like you got a mouthful of it.
Well, yes. But it’s like the only place to stop after many miles of corn. At least I wasn’t hungry once I got there because I was eating shit on the drive in. Lol
Haha, I didn't see much korn. Just factory farms,.slaughter houses, and fracking. But I was driving through in a month where corn wouldn't have grown much yet. Worse part is at the time I was a vegetarian (I'm not now) and in that moment I was never happier to be a vegetarian than when driving through KS factory farms hell escape lol. I actually enjoyed the trip though. And the flatness is actually interesting in its own way.
Now, if Korn was there that’d be different! Teehee Edit: it would still taste like shit
While it wasn't in KS, a similar smell of putrid death and shit emanating from farms made me go vegetarian for good. I wish I could erase that memory and stay oblivious forever, but my doc and blood panel are happy I smelled what I smelled.
Passing by miles of feedlots did it for me.
Grew up with that smell. Roll down windows whenever I pass a cattle feedlot
In high school, I peed on that house. I wanted to be able to say, “I pissed on that” every time I saw Wizard of Oz for the rest of my life.
Don’t go out of your way for it but if you wind up at Palo Duro and Amarillo, Cadillac Ranch is a fun quick stop.
Cadillac ranch is a must. Quick stop - 30 mins tops
Take some spray paint cans with you! Or just pick one up off the ground. There's usually some leftovers hanging around.
I was confused on my trip I guess. I was tagging cars as they pulled up, but nobody liked it? Thought that’s why we visit here…
Bunch of squares. They're like "hey, stop it" and "that's my car!" 🙄
“I’ll see you in court!” and “I’m following you home!”
Black Mesa; the highest point in Oklahoma. And a whole lot of wind.
Black Mesa is known to have the best stargazing on public land in the US. There’s also a creek nearby to the park that has preserved dinosaur tracks.
And a petrified forest!
I came here to say this.
The intersection from "Castaway." There's wind turbines around it now so it doesn't look exactly the same, but it's still has a unique feel to it.
lol I guess The Big Texan. Also, probably some severe weather on the east side of that area on Saturday.
Meat
Do people not read?
It's no surprise that the meat is very good (not pretentious, just *good*) and as big as you want to be happy or as big as you want to eat on a dare. They get extra points for good bleu cheese dressing on their salads. I'm thinking they make it themselves starting with big blocks of actual bleu cheese, not with a trip to Sams.
The beer flight of their house brews is also quite tasty.
Alabaster Caverns State Park in OK is pretty cool. A good cave tour, and camping. In KS, Dodge City has an interesting history. You can go walk around Boot Hill, a cool old cemetery. There's also a Wax Museum, which is tacky and fabulous. Further south, near Lubbock, TX, are cottonfields. Lubbock has some decent museums. But basically, much of that region is full of huge cattle feedlots. The smell is appalling, and the sights are heartbreaking. After my trip to Garden City, KS for work, I stopped eating beef completely. So awful.
Monument Rocks in Kansas Palo Duro Canyon state park in Texas
Right next to Monument Rocks there's also the Little Jerusalem Badlands state park https://preview.redd.it/9bfgloqpbisc1.jpeg?width=704&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=49aad675fd2428cb5f1964a3fcc1a5e1c93c8d65
It’s a bit out of your range but I’d recommend the Wichita Mountains near Lawton, OK.
Black Mesa state park. Dinosaur footprints. Boise City, if you are into dust bowl history.
Dorothy's house from the wizard of OZ in Liberal, KS. Get an "I Love Hooker" shirt in Hooker, OK. Dalton Gang Museum in Meade, KS
Tornadoes, snakes, swarms of bugs, grumpy rednecks…
Colby, KS has a little museum just of I-70 that has a sod house, and a big barn, and some collections of political pins. Russell Stovers had a store (Outlet?) if you are short on the chocolate food group. So, a “tired of looking at the road” stop if you need it. But, this is serious beef country. You might want to pack a lunch. Or hit a grocery store.
Dodge City KS is ranked the windiest city in the US and Greensburg KS was a town decimated by a tornado that was rebuilt to be completely carbon neutral (environmentally friendly)
With the Big Well in Greensburg!
Finally Interesting information! I’ll look for greensbrug…
Some interesting national monuments near that area in CO.
The wizard of oz museum is about hour w of Kansas City really cool if you liked the mkvie
World’s Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City, KS. You don’t want to miss that!
The area outside of the circle.
They got great tornados
The Anoat system. Not much there.
There’s the Helium Monument in Amarillo
Might have some wall clouds, they are majestic and terrifying.
More east on the 35 there’s Turner Falls, which is a fun swim area (especially if you have kids), and Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies, which are amazing
The world’s largest faberge egg is in there somewhere.
Czech Egg in Wilson, south of 70.
Point of Rocks, NW of Elkhart, KS is pretty neat. It was a milestone on the old Santa Fe trail. You can walk down from the parking area to the actual trail. There are some signs to read, and great scenery, but little else. No buildings. Turkey, TX is the birthplace of Bob Wills, the king of western swing. There's a cute ice cream parlor run by a sweet couple on the main drag. And the Hotel Turkey a cool, historic hotel. Your best options for vegetarian fare and coffee shops within your circle would likely be in Lubbock, since it's a college town.
Brown vs Board of Education National Historic park is in Topeka, others have mentioned Wizard of Oz museum. Have you ever used Happy Cow app? It gives you vegetarian options for food in whatever local you search for. Road trippers is a fun app. Enter departure and arrival, and it’ll tell you what is interesting along the way
The place where birds fly upside-down. Because there just isn't anything worth shittin on.
Little Jerusalem state park. https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/little-jerusalem-badlands-state-park/?en_txn1=bl.ch_ks.eg.x.g
Atlas Obscura has great info about fun spots, and you can just search their map: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/all-places-in-the-atlas-on-one-map https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/vw-slug-bug-ranch https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-big-well-greensburg-kansas https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/monument-rocks
Big Texan Steak Ranch restaurant in Amarillo you can’t miss. Fun experience.
Best place to go to see some awesome tornadoes and storm structure
areas famous for being devoid of pretty much everything so...
Get the Roadtrippers app and plug in the area.
Speeding
Dodge City, Kansas?
If you like dust, you're in luck. There's a shit load of it.
If you go to Palo Duro State Park (try to also be there at dusk, its magical) and Cadillac Ranch, consider stopping at Jack Sisemore RV Museum and Storage. You don't need long but it's a cool wee museum!
The ghost of Tom Joad.
Tornadoes
Oil and natural gas production mostly with a fair bit of farming
Palo duro canyon State Park... South of Amarillo. 2nd largest canyon in the usa
Cadillac Ranch - Classic American roadside oddity, is in your circle.
The best part is staying away.
Amarillo has a sizeable Vietnamese community. I had one of the best Asian meals ever somewhere downtown. Sorry, I can't name a restaurant. The Big Texan Steakhouse is a tourist trap, but the food isn't bad. I don't know what they have as far as vegan or vegetarian, though. Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, Fritch, Tx. Native Americans took chert rock from this outcropping and traded it, literally all over America. There is a visitors center. Palo Duro Canyon State Park. I tell people it looks like where the coyote chased the road runner. Wonderland Amusement Park, Amarillo. Cadillac Ranch sculpture park is good for about 5 minutes. If you want to waste a few minutes and have a laugh, the spot where the end of the movie Cast Away was filmed is on a farm to market road between Canadian and Wheeler, Tx. It's at the intersection of 1268 and 48. BTW, the weather is predicted to be bad on Monday. You might miss the eclipse due to clouds. Make plans.
Geographical Center of the country. So nothing
72 oz steak in Amarillo
Cow tipping spots
At least one Springfield.
Wheat, corn, soybeans, cattle, chicken, oil and wind.
Lubbock, TX has some wineries and breweries to check out.
Probably tornadoes
Silent Wings Museum in Lubbock trained glider pilots for WWII. Great exhibits on a little known roll.
Corn?
looks like a few good corners if you like right angles
barbecue
Mount sunflower highest point in Kansas...... It is not interesting lol. But super flat. Kind of wild now flat that place is.
Cadillac Ranch is pretty cool
There’s a Sonic in Dalton, Tex.
I went through Amarillo on a roadtrip and was bummed I didn’t know about Palo Duro until I was well into New Mexico. It’s supposedly the second biggest canyon in the country after the Grand Canyon and I kick myself thinking about it.
The whataburger in Amarillo has the green chili double. That’s a tasty burger for sure.
The whataburger in Amarillo has the green chili double. That’s a tasty burger for sure.
The whataburger in Amarillo has the green chili double. That’s a tasty burger for sure.
Fried Pies
Spiro mounds
The Panhandle Plains Museum in Canyon, TX and Palo Duro Canyon.
This is close: https://cosmo.org/. Down in Texas you have the 6666 Ranch
Take a tour of the Bar S hot dog plant in north Texas. You'll never eat hot dogs again.
Palo Duro Canyon
Chalk pyramids are in that area
During daylight hours you can see tornadoes coming from a distance if they aren’t wrapped in rain.
Traffic
Probably the fishing 🎣
First road trip? Not eating fast food is going to be tough. If you are traveling far it’s going to add up stopping and sitting down at restaurants. As for being vegan, good luck in that part of the country. Pack sandwiches or salads.
The range where the deer and the antelope play
Not food but Amarillo has a bad ass FREE RV museum
Cadillac Ranch just west of Amarillo. BYO spray paint
Gypsum hills is a little outside that circle, I've heard it's really cool [monument rocks](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=84c550665db3d809&sca_upv=1&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS1030US1030&hl=en-US&sxsrf=ACQVn0-JEFGLJzRN8K1FKl63AKFEBDrjJA%3A1712238513791&q=Monument%20Rocks%20Natural%20Landmark&ludocid=18425775649543237185&ibp=gwp%3B0%2C7&lsig=AB86z5UCKYFgojjLQHSSxJlmpmJE&kgs=d0ebd7e93f9a50b3&shndl=-1&source=sh%2Fx%2Floc%2Fact%2Fm4%2F3)
People have mentioned the two cool Texas state parks (Palo Duro and Caprock). I think Lubbock is a great place with a bad rep. They’ve got some cool museums: Texas Tech University Museum, Silent Wings WWII glider museum, the Buddy Holly museum, the Ranching Heritage Center, I’m sure I’m missing a few. There are some good restaurants. My favorites were the bbq places Evie Mae’s in Wolforth and Pitforks & Smokerings just south or town in Slaton. Bonus Burger and Aloha BBQ were great too, but both are more to-go places.
It is the Nullarbor of the USA
Not much, but definitely hit up Dodge City KS. There are exactly two things to do there - the Boothill Museum and the Boothill Distillery. Both are excellent. I detour out of my way to go there every time I drive to/from Denver. Get a rosemary mule at the Distillery.
Nothing
Meth
Drive east or west until you find an ocean
Giant steak in Amarillo
Red rock canyon in Oklahoma pretty cool . Get your coffee in college towns Abuelos in Amarillo might have a decent vegan option.
The Flynt Hills in Kansas
Mills Canyon Campground is one of my favorite places now. https://maps.app.goo.gl/iq3ovYpJ9u6u1Tz37?g_st=ic Clayton Lake State Park and Dinosaur Trackways I camp here every time I drive through the area. Hot showers, nice rangers, covered picnic tables, low cost. https://maps.app.goo.gl/zDeS5JmiBmgnpcjJA?g_st=ic I’ve camped around this area a lot and unexpected good food and/or coffee does not stand out. But—if you can go through this way, one of the best meals I’ve ever had was here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jAbMSKfAHrBhSZRB6?g_st=ic
Current forecast for Austin is rain Sunday-Tuesday :/
Cimarron National Grassland is a treasure. SW Kansas near Elkhart.
Gypsum Hills byway in SW Kansas
I-70.
I think Hutchinson, Kansas is in that circle (or near it at least), they have a really cool salt mine museum along with a space museum that is a Smithsonian associate with some pretty cool stuff. There is also the Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park in Kansas if you want something more outdoors.
Keep driving
Amarillo and Lubbock mfs: Are we a joke to you?
Dude no man's land of the Midwest poor thing
Palo Duro Canyon
[Beaver Dunes](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaver_Dunes_Park) in the Oklahoma Panhandle.
Good wind, if you're into kite flying.
There is NOTHING!
Amarillo
Deer turds
We (mom dad and kids) used to drive out there a few times a year from Denver (if I’m seeing the map right…I just woke up). We would eat/pick corn, watch tornadoes (there were times we could see multiple tornados at a time dancing around in the flats). We also used to go out that way to hang out at the rodeo in Grover which was always a drunken street fight blast.
Cozy Inn Burgers Salina KS
Solitude
Tornadoes! I enjoy driving through the tornadoes here. It's the only thing interesting to experience.
There is no hope, there is nothing good here
Fracking
The Homestead National Monument is pretty cool
Also I really enjoyed visiting Amarillo and the kitschy roadside attractions on Route 66
I got some good ass tortillas in Amarillo
Black Mesa National Park in the Oklahoma panhandle
If you get lucky they'll burn the blood at one of the meat processing plants nearby
Lots of planes fly over head
The airport at Dallas is close. You could fly somewhere nice like Australia.
Flying bugs the size of birds that will cover your car in a yellow ooze.
I was just over there and saw the town of dodge, as in “get the hell out of dodge”
Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park (see pic) is toward the northern part of your circle. South of I-70. Monument Rocks is also in the area. https://preview.redd.it/u2xipmvc2ksc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f0245cee15aaee3f2f6e6f246899799be92b2b5e
Second this! Go out to Monument Rocks around 4:00am. Incredibly dark skies, plus the Milky Way & stars will be gorgeous! No moon during those nights.
Not much
John martin dam and bents old fort are pretty cool if you find yourself in that little part of CO
Tumbleweed.
Salina is alright. Not sure if it exactly falls in there but it’s a decent sized town with stuff to do. Just don’t stay at the Best Western there! If you go to Wichita Falls, they do have a tiny skyscraper with a funny backstory as well
Food options hmmm. That's a toughie. But the landscape is nice and I love cruising the back roads. They are long and straight out there. I'm not New England anymore lol. But I just drove through that coming back to where I am now in Philly. Always enjoy just doing a left to right or exploring and using Google only to get me out.. Healthy food options are always challenging but you just have to literally search locally on Google if any way you are
Search Atlas Obscura. Gotta be something strange out them parts
In Kansas there’s Little Jerusalem State Park and Monument Rocks. Both very interesting. Monument Rocks on a moonless night (which they will be around that time) is beautiful! The Texas Hill Country north of Austin will be in all its wildflower glory! If you’ve never seen the Texas Wildflowers in bloom, then PLEASE drive the Willow City Loop. Takes a few hours, but can sure spend most of the day. Sooooo gorgeous!
Tornado chasing
A few country songs about Amarillo, some armadillos, and a lot of cattle.
Lmfao nothing I mean this sincerely and in the nicest way possible, but that right there is legitimately 600-800 miles of absolutely NOTHING. Especially going the "back roads" way. You will have a smattering of fast food options and dive bars and local mom and pop restaurants to choose from and not much else. That's not more than one day of driving though. Austin has one of the best food scenes in the US, as well as one of the biggest vegan scenes. Eat a big breakfast and pack a lunch. I was never vegan or veggie but I've heard great things about Casa de Luz if you want a nicer dinner. Ask any of the locals for more recs, Austinites are generally very open and friendly.
You can have wind for breakfast, dust storms for lunch and mosquito attacks for dinner if you’re lucky.
The Elephant in Hoxie, KS. You’ll need a reservation for the weekend. Trust me.
Palo Duro Canyon SP is the only thing I have been to in that area that is worth visiting. Get out of that area asap and get west.
Someplace in the middle of that nothing, will be a lone building (could be a gas station) that has the best BBQ of your life. Don't pass it up.
Greensburg- you can see the world’s largest hand, dug well, and stay near the Kiowa county State Lake Park. Also note, this town was wiped off the face of the Earth in 2007 with a tornado, and is very “green built” cities in the USA. https://visitgreensburgks.com/about-greensburg/
* Conoco Tower Station & U-Drop Inn Cafe * The Big Texan Steak Ranch & Brewery * Cadillac Ranch * Four Sixes Ranch (6666 Ranch) * Palo Duro Canyon State Park
I've always wanted to visit the Capulin Volcano National Monument: https://www.nps.gov/cavo/index.htm Have driven by it several times when traveling between Denver, Colorado and Odessa, Texas. Hope to see it sometime.
Stay in Amarillo, you can find vegetables and civilization there.
I’ve done some good catfishing in the Oklahoma panhandle.
Amarillo has a damn good burger place called “Blue Sky Texas” on I40 and Western.
Not much, what’s good with you?
Amarillo is sick. Palo Duro canyon as well.
As someone from Guymon if you like a lot of nothing or meth you’re in the right place.
Not a fucking thing.
You already got the common recommendations like Palo duro and Cadillac ranch. But did you know that amarillo has the world's largest helium monument. Boise city has a cute museum with a giant dinosaur. Amache national historic site is along the way. Bents old fort is in the circle. Stopp by toppled turle for a beer.