Elephant Mountain wildlife management area

     This 45-mile wide scene from July 5th 2011 covers western Brewster County and eastern Presidio County.  This area lies within the Trans-Pecos ecoregion and exhibits diverse sub-regions including mountains, desert shrub, and river woodlands.  Streams feeding into Terlingua Creek drain a blue arc of landscape in the southwest ¼ of the scene. 

     The Cienega Mountains, elevation 5,315 feet, show burn scars (red and black) from 2011 drought-related wildfires in the northern center of the scene. In the northeast corner folded mountains trend into the scene towards the southwest; these were formed around 300 million years ago at the same time as the Appalachian Mountains.

     The northernmost extent of Big Bend National Park, home to diverse species of plant and animals of the Chihuahuan Desert, enters the southeastern corner of the scene. 

     Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area was established for conservation and development of the desert bighorn sheep species and its habitat.