Caprock Canyons boasts a unique feature that can’t be found anywhere else in the world, reports The Canyon News. The herd of bison there is the last remaining true herd, genetically identical to the buffalo that roamed the plains before the animals were almost completely decimated at the end of the 19th century. The bison in the park are the direct descendants of the herd Charles Goodnight’s started in 1878.
At one time, there were between 30 and 60 million bison in North America. That number fell to just 541 animals at the height of the slaughter in 1895. The numbers have since rebounded; the herd in Caprock Canyons holds 125 animals. The state park is working on a complete restoration, reintroducing wildlife to the land, including prairie dogs and pronghorns. But the bison are the keystone of that effort. Caprock Canyons is the only place in Texas where you can see a herd of bison in their natural setting—though park officials advise visitors not to get out of their cars.
Donald Beard, park superintendent, calls the park “Yellowstone in Texas.”