1971 Map of Terlingua

About this map

Terlingua and Study Butte serve as the primary human anchors in this arid landscape, where the Chihuahuan Desert meets the northern reaches of Big Bend National Park. The 1971 field survey documents a region defined by its mercurial mining history and geological transition. Numerous unnamed ruins and mines are scattered across the slopes of Cigar Spring Mountain and the Reed Plateau, testifying to the area's intensive quicksilver production era. The presence of a Cem near the primary settlements and the Terlingua Landing Strip suggests a community in transition between its industrial past and its emerging role as a remote gateway. The complex drainage patterns of Terlingua Creek, fed by seasonal flows like Rough Run and Dawson Creek, carve through the striking limestone formation of Cuesta Blanca.