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Highway 86: Silverton to Turkey, Caprock Canyons, Texas
Photo: Fredlyfish4 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Drives Texas The Texas Panhandle and the Caprock

Highway 86: Silverton to Turkey

TX 86 · Silverton → Turkey

Leisurely25 mi25 min100 ft climbHigh point ≈ 3,300 ftOne way
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The drive

Highway 86 picks up where the Highway 207 drive ends. It leaves Silverton and heads east across the flat top of the High Plains, then drops in one long descent off the Caprock escarpment into the broken red country below.

At the bottom is Quitaque, the town for Caprock Canyons State Park, where the Texas State Bison Herd roams the canyon plains and the Caprock Canyons Trailway leads out to Clarity Tunnel, where bats roost in the warmer months. From Quitaque the road carries on through red breaks and ranch land to Turkey.

Turkey is the hometown of Bob Wills, the King of Western Swing. The Bob Wills Museum is in town, and Bob Wills Day, held each spring on the last Saturday in April, fills the place with fiddlers and dancers.

Along the way

  1. Silverton
  2. Quitaque
  3. Turkey
Elevation
100 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 3,300 ft
SilvertonTurkey
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
SilvertonTurkey
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • The descent off the Caprock is the one real grade; otherwise it's a straight, quiet two-lane.
  • Caprock Canyons State Park charges a daily entry fee; the park office is in Quitaque.
  • The bison in Caprock Canyons are wild animals; give them plenty of room.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check TxDOT DriveTexas.

Questions about this drive

How long is Highway 86 from Silverton to Turkey?

Highway 86 from Silverton through Quitaque to Turkey is 25 miles and takes about 25 minutes without stops.

How do you get to Caprock Canyons State Park?

Caprock Canyons State Park is reached from Quitaque, on Highway 86 below the Caprock between Silverton and Turkey.

Can you see bison at Caprock Canyons?

Yes. The Texas State Bison Herd roams the plains of Caprock Canyons State Park, near Quitaque on Highway 86.

What is Turkey, Texas known for?

Turkey, at the east end of this Highway 86 drive, is Bob Wills' hometown, with the Bob Wills Museum and Bob Wills Day each April.

What you get in the app

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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Highway 86: Silverton to Turkey, from Silverton to Turkey