Jrky, J. 1992 Journal Palo Duro Canyon State Park 18 miles E of Canyon & Armstrong Counties, Texas June 23-24 There were several habitats seen in the park. Above the canyon rim there (Cait) was the mesquite/grasslands of the Llano Estacado; within the canyon I saw brushy/grassy areas, stone juniper dominated hills & slopes, and riparian woodlands. I spent my time looking for goldfishes in the riparian zone and its extremes, and it is in there I will describe, aided by a park hand-out of common plants. The river banks vegetation is characterized by few trees. Cottonwood is found every three. There are a few mesquite close to the river edge, but most of these I saw were well back from water's edge anyway as were net-leaf hackberry & little leaf sumac and some sea-sand juniper. Coyote willows and Texas rice to 12' in height covers more area than any other plants. Dry slopes adjacent to the river had prickly pear & yuccas. Herbaceous plants included flat thistle, skimmia, daisies, three mint, aster, cocklebur, & Mexican red. These cottonwoods were 1-2' dbh & 30-40' tall. Closed canopy galleries were uncommon and some were extensive. The riparian zone was seldom more than fifty feet wide. Crude map: CLIFF TOPS FORK RED CLIFF TOP RIVER X - area of fair-good riparian growth CLIFF TOPS Fork OF RED RIVER DOWNSTREAM