1983 Map of Rock House Gap

About this map

The Del Norte Mountains and Cochran Mountains dominate this high-desert landscape in Brewster County, where the scarcity of water is evidenced by the density of named springs and windmills. Natural features like Sulphur Springs and Shaler Spring are joined by man-made infrastructure including the Twin China Windmill, Axtell Windmill, and Thompson Windmill. These markers define a pastoral and industrial network where life and labor followed the reliable sources of water between the peaks and canyons. The terrain transitions from the steep grades of Black Peak and Doubtful Canyon into the lower expanse of Chalk Valley, while a series of Jeep Trails provides the primary means of navigating the arid basins of Dugout Creek and Maravillas Creek.