Beach Mountains facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beach Mountains |
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View of the Beach Mountains from the south
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 5,827 ft (1,776 m) |
| Prominence | 1,725 ft (526 m) |
| Geography | |
 Beach Mountains
Location in Texas
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| Location | Culberson County, Texas, U.S. |
The Beach Mountains are a mountain range in Culberson County, Texas. They are located in the southwestern part of the county, about 3 miles (5 km) north of the town of Van Horn. These mountains are on land that is privately owned.
The highest point in the Beach Mountains is 5,827 feet (1,776 meters) above sea level. The range is shaped roughly like a circle, about 5 miles (8 km) across. It rises about 1,800 feet (550 meters) above the flat desert around it. Other mountain ranges, like the Baylor Mountains and the Sierra Diablo range, are nearby.
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What Are the Beach Mountains?
The Beach Mountains are one of many separate mountain ranges in a region of Texas called Trans-Pecos. This area is in the western part of the state. Other nearby ranges include the Sierra Diablo, Baylor, Apache, Carrizo, Wylie, Eagle, and Van Horn mountains. Even though these mountains are close, their rocks can be quite different.
How the Mountains Formed
The Beach Mountains are what's left after millions of years of erosion. This means wind and water wore away softer rocks around them. The mountains are made of sedimentary rock from the Ordovician and Cambrian periods. These rocks were formed between 541 and 444 million years ago. Along the western side, a stream called Hackberry Creek has uncovered even older rocks from the Precambrian era.
Plants and Animals
The Beach Mountains are home to many interesting plants and animals. The types of plants you find here are common in the Chihuahuan Desert.
Plants You Might See
You can find plants like Yucca, creosote bush, and mesquite trees. Many kinds of cactus also grow here. On the steep, rocky slopes, there are also live oak trees, pinyon pine trees, and juniper trees. Various types of grasses also grow in these areas.
Animals That Live Here
The Beach Mountains are a special home for desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni). These sheep are rare and mostly live in the mountains of western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. Bighorn sheep love the rough, steep, and rocky areas found in the Beach Mountains.
Years ago, these sheep disappeared from the area. But in 1991 and 1992, the Texas government brought 38 desert bighorns back to the Beach Mountains. By 2009, the sheep in the Beach Mountains were part of a larger group of almost 1,200 bighorns living in several mountain ranges across western Texas.
How the Mountains Got Their Name
The Beach Mountains are named after J. H. Beach. He was one of the first people to settle in this area back in the 1880s. Another early settler, Robert K. (Bob) Wylie, also had a nearby mountain range named after him: the Wylie Mountains. These are located southeast of the Beach Mountains.
