West Texas Historical and Scientific Society publication number twelve Page: 8 of 29
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follows the western side of the Santiago Mountains. After
traveling about four miles south, one will see that an intermittent
stream has cut a conspicuous gorge through the range.
It is called Dog Canyon, and it is said that years ago a yoke
of oxen and a wagon guarded by a dog were found there. The
owner of the wagon did not return. His identity and mysterious
disappearance is another of the unanswered problems of the
Big Bend. This canyon also has historical significance. Some
maintain that the camel caravan of 1861 passed through it,
while others think that the caravan passed through Persimmon
Gap, remaining in the more open country because of the dangers
from the Indians.
Devil's Den is about one and one-half miles south of Dog
Canyon. This narrow gorge contains deep tinajas (water holes)
that seldom are dry. It was a frequent camp site for Indians,
probably the Comanches on their forays into Mexico. It is only
a short distance from the old Comanche Trail, and artifacts have
been collected from this area. Southward from Dog Canyon
the mountain range widens and within four miles it passes into
the Sierra del Carmen, locally called the Dead Horse Mountains
(Sierra del Caballo Muerto). This series of linear ridges extends
southward and in topography is virtually continuous with the
Sierra del Carmen (Carmen Mountains) of Mexico. It is broken,
however, by the Boquillas Canyon cut by the Rio Grande.
When you have traveled about 20 miles from Persimmon Gap
you will be traveling over Tornillo Flat, an erosional plain cut
by Tornillo Creek and its tributaries. This is the most arid
region of the Park. During the dry season there is little vegetation
except creosote bush, lechuguilla, and cacti, but following
a shower the plants spring up as if by magic. In a few days
they are in blossom and the desert is clothed in a robe of
gorgeous colors. Normally this kind of vegetation lives only a
few weeks and following the next shower new and different
types of flowers appear.
From Tornillo Flat there is a nice view of the Sierra del
Carmen ranges. Prominent features in the Park section are
Alto Relex (high bluff) and Sue Peak. Farther south the west
facing bluff of the Sierra del Carmen of Mexico is exposed. The
column that represents th,l highest peak in the bluff is called
Shot Tower, or sometimes the Boquillas Finger. This peak is an
important landmark and has been used by surveyors for bearing
shots when making various land surveys.
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West Texas Historical and Scientific Society. West Texas Historical and Scientific Society publication number twelve, book, June 1, 1948; Alpine, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5838/m1/8/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .