1983 Map of Dog Canyon

About this map

Dog Canyon and the surrounding high desert of Brewster County are defined by a landscape of intermittent drainage and stark elevation changes in this 1983 study. The northern reach of Terlingua Creek cuts through the southwest, while the dominant geological profile of Black Hill anchors the southern boundary. This map reveals a world of water scarcity, where man-made catchments like Dewees Tank and other unnamed tanks provided critical resources for ranching in an environment otherwise reliant on ephemeral flows through Hale Draw. The network of unimproved roads and light-duty paths shown here reflects a remote ranching economy dependent on these scattered water sources and the natural topography of the Trans-Pecos region during the late twentieth century.