In 1993, a hiking, biking, and equestrian rail trail opened that stretches through the park through Floyd, Briscoe, and Hall counties. The trailway was created after the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department acquired 64.25 miles (103 km) of right-of-way from the abandoned Fort Worth and Denver Railroad's lines between Estelline and South Plains.[3] A unique feature is the 528 ft (161 m) Clarity Railroad Tunnel.[4]
The park is located in West Texas and has a semi-arid climate. The average January minimum temperature is 19 °F (−7 °C) and the average July maximum is 91 °F (33 °C). The park receives 20.4 inches (520 mm) of precipitation annually.[3]
At the urging of his wife, Charles Goodnight preserved several plains bison from those that were being slaughtered.[5] This herd became one of the genetic sources from which current bison herds descend.[6][7] The herd was donated to the State of Texas in 1997.[8] In 2011, bison were allowed to roam throughout the park, and the Texas Legislature designated the bison herd at Caprock Canyons State Park as the official State Bison Herd of Texas.[9] The herd has minimal cattle introgression.[10][11]