The Mountains and Basins region makes up the westernmost part of Texas.  This is part of a larger region known as the Basin and Range Province that extends from Mexico and covers much of New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada.  The area has close cultural and economic ties to Mexico because of their proximity to each other.

BORDERS   

New Mexico borders the Mountains and Basins to the north.  The Rio Grande borders it to the south and west.  The eastern border is the Toyah Basin and Stockton Plateau.

LAND   

Just as the name suggests, the Mountains and Basins region features scattered mountain ranges and flat desert basins.  The Guadalupe Mountains are in this region.  Guadalupe Peak is the highest point in Texas at about 8,750 feet.  Other major ranges include the Davis, Chalk, Glass, and Chisos mountains.

The major river of the Mountains and Basins region is, of course, the Rio Grande.  In places along the Rio Grande, spectacular, deep canyons mark the path of this river as it winds its way toward the Gulf of Mexico.  Brewster County features the famed Big Bend, where the Rio Grande makes a large S-shaped curve.  Big Bend National Park is located here.

West Texas is mountainous and has rugged plateaus.  The region contains desert valleys and wooded slopes.  West Texas also contains Guadalupe Peak.  To the east, elevation decreases into the hilly Edwards Plateau.  It is called the Hill Country region.

CLIMATE

The Mountains and Basins region covers more than 41,000 square miles and is the windiest and driest part of the state, receiving an average of nine inches of rain annually.  The rain comes as air moves up in elevation, it cools and rains.  Hot days and cool nights characterize the area's normal weather patterns.  Winters are colder than the rest of the state.  

VEGETATION   

The land in the Mountains and Basins region consists of dramatic landscape containing canyons, mountains and plateaus.  It is the driest region in Texas.  Much of the area is desert, covered with many types of cacti, mesquite trees, and other desert plants.  Some of the mountains get more rainfall because of their elevation, so forests can grow there.  Farmers irrigate crops with water from the Rio Grande due to the lack of rainfall.

HUMAN FEATURES    

Big Bend National Park, with its 1,250 square miles, is one of the area’s biggest attractions.  Hikers and horseback riders enjoy the trails at Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

The region also has a number of historic parks.  Seminole Canyon State Historical Park in Val Verde County opened in 1980.  Park rangers provide guided tours to view Indian pictographs.  Fort Davis National Historic Park in the Davis Mountains is one of the best-preserved frontier army posts in the West.

ECONOMY  -       Ranching (cattle, sheep and goats), oil and sulfur deposits, silver,  farming (cotton, pecan trees, alfalfa) contribute to the region’s economy.  Other economic industries include military bases and tourism.  Big Bend National Park and Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Guadalupe Peak is the highest peak) contribute to the tourism industry in the region. Interstate I-10 runs from the east coast to the west coast through El Paso.   This has encouraged trade with Mexico.  Because of the region's proximity to Mexico, the people here have close cultural and economic ties to the country.

Cities in the region include El Paso, Marfa and Alpine.