2016 Map of Horseshoe Mountains

About this map

Rawls Ranch Airport sits within a wide valley in this remote stretch of West Texas, serving as a rare point of modern infrastructure amidst a landscape defined by significant elevation changes. To the north, the peak of San Jacinto Mtn and the landform known as La Viuda overlook a series of deep drainage systems, including Fishtail Canyon and Old Ranch Canyon. The center of the map is dominated by the Horseshoe Mountains, which give way to the expansive Tascotal Mesa in the southeast. Transportation through this high-desert environment is limited to Hwy 169 and the unpaved Casa Piedra Rd, which snakes through the terrain near the seasonal waters of Holguin Cr. The map illustrates the classic Trans-Pecos topography of mesas, gaps like Wire Gap, and steep-walled canyons that have dictated ranching and travel patterns for generations.