1971 Map of Ernst Valley

About this map

The Sierra Del Caballo Muerto dominates this arid Chihuahuan Desert landscape within Big Bend National Park. This 1971 survey captures the intricate network of primitive pack trails and historic routes that once served the mining and ranching interests of Brewster County before it became a protected wilderness. The Old Ore Road skirts the western edge of the mountains, a remnant of the early 20th-century transportation corridor used to haul lead and zinc from northern Mexico to the railroad. Further east, the Rio Grande serves as the international boundary between Texas and Mexico, carving through the steep relief near Hubert Ridge. Remote water sources like Ernst Tank and drainages such as Arroyo Venado define the survival geography of this territory, while the Telephone Canyon Trail and Ernst Straw House Valley Trail highlight the specific nomenclature of early settlers and rangers.