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BIG BEND REGION, TEXAS:
GEOLOGY

The University of Texas at Austin the University of Texas Libraries
Walter Geology Library
Compiled by Dennis Trombatore

  rev.10/2000

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Big Bend National Park was established in 1944 in the the southernmost part of Brewster County, Texas after a long struggle at the local, state, and federal level. Much of the early development of the future Park was accomplished by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The national park covers an area of 1,250 square miles and the nearby state park includes the Solitario and other areas in adjacent Presidio County. The Parks lie within the Chihuahuan Desert zone of Northern Mexico, West Texas and New Mexico.

INTERNET RESOURCES

Big Bend National Park contains a wealth of information about the park, it's setting and history.

Big Bend National Park Virtual Field Trip was created as an independent study project under Dr. Bruce Herbert at Texas A&M. It is very attractive and covers the area in some detail.

Art Busbey's Big Bend National Park is a good site for links to other Big Bend resources and photos of the Park.

GENERAL

Big Bend : Official National Park Handbook. 1983. National Park Handbook 119
* F 392 B53 B49 1983 Geology Library

The Big Bend: A History of the Last Texas Frontier. Tyler, R.C. 1975
* F392 B54 T9 Geology Library

Big Bend Country: a history of Big Bend National Park. 1985. Big Bend Natural History Association
* -q- F392 B54 M39 1985 Geology Library

Big Bend Vistas. MacLeod, William. 2003. Texas Geological Press.
*F 392 B54 M298 2003 Geology Library

The Big Bend of the Rio Grande, a Guide to the Rocks, Landscape, Geologic History and Settlers of the Area of Big Bend National Park. 1968. Bureau of Economic Geology Guidebook 7
* QE 167 T4245 Geology Library

Down to Earth at Tuff Canyon, Big Bend National Park, Texas. Barker, Daniel S. 2000.
*QE 168 B5 B27 2000 Geology Library

Geologic and Historic Guide to the State Parks of Texas. 1970. Bureau of Economic Geology Guidebook 10
* QE 167 T4245 Geology Library

Geology and Tertiary Igneous Activity of the Hen Egg Mountain and Christmas Mountains quadrangles, Big Bend Region, Texas. 1989. Bureau of Economic Geology Report of Investigations 183
* QE 167 T42 no.183 Geology Library

Geology of Big Bend National Park, Brewster County, Texas. 1967. Bureau of Economic Geology Publication 6711
* QE 167 U558 no.6711 Geology Library

Geology of Texas, v.1, Stratigraphy; v.2 Structural and Economic Geology. 1932-34. Bureau of Economic Geology Bulletins 3232, 3401
* QE 167 U558 no.3232, 3401 Geology Library

Geology of the Big Bend Ranch State Park. Henry, C. 1998. Bureau of Economic Geology GB 27
* QE 167 T4245 no.27 Geology Library

Geology of the Solitario Dome, Trans-Pecos, Texas. 1996. Bureau of Economic Geology Report of Investigations 240
* QE 167 T42 no.240 Geology Library

Geology of the Solitario, Trans-Pecos, Texas. 1990. Geological Society of America Special Paper #250
* QE 1 G2197 no.250 Geology Library

Geomorphic evolution of the Rio Grande. 1975. Baylor Geologic Study no.29
* QE 167 B35 no.29 Geology Library

Hiking Big Bend National Park. Parent, Laurence. 1996. Falcon Press.
*GV 199.42 T492 1996 Geology Library

Hydrogeology, Geochemistry, and Quality of Water of the Basin and Oak Spring Areas of the Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Texas. 1993. USGS Water Resources Investigations 93-4112
* GB 701 W375 93-4112 Geology Library

Mirages, Mysteries and Reality: Brewster County, Texas, the Big Bend of the Rio Grande. 1972
* F 392 B85 C3 Geology Library

Official Guide to Texas State Parks. Parent, L. 1997
* F 384.3 P36 1997 Geology Library & PCL Reference

Road Guide to Backcountry Dirt Roads of Big Bend National Park. (rev.)1993
* F 392 B53 B49 1983 Geology Library

Tertiary Volcanism of the Bofecillos Mountains and Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas: Revised Stratigraphy and 40Ar/39Ar Geochronology. Henry, C. 1998. BEG Report of Investigations 253
* QE 167 T42 no.253 Geology Library

FIELD GUIDES

Erdlac, R.J. and Zaeff, G., eds. Big Bend Field Trip Structural Types and Hydrocarbons: Folds, Faults, and Fractures. 1998. Permian Basin SEPM Publication 98-40
* QE 168 P47 S6243 1998

Field Seminar of the Big Bend, Trans-Pecos Region, Texas. 1986. Houston Geological Society 1986 fieldtrip
* QE 168 B5 H68 1986

Geology of the Big Bend Area and Solitario Dome, Texas. 1986. West Texas Geological Society Fieldtrip, March 12 - 15, 1986
* QE 167 W4486 no. 86-82 Geology Library

1984 Spring Field Trip: Big Bend National Park. 1984. Corpus Christi Geological Society Field Trip Guidebook
* QE 168 B5 C67 Geology Library

Muehlberger, W.R. Structure and Stratigraphy of Trans-Pecos Texas: El Paso to Guadalupe Mountains and Big Bend. 1989. 28th Int'l Geological Congress, Fieldtrip T317
* QE 601 S335 1989m Geology Library

(also available as part of: Sedimentation and Tectonics of Western North America
* QE 601 S335 1989 v.3 Geology Library)

Wilson, J.A., et al. Vertebrate Paleontology and Continental Stratigraphy Field Trip, Big Bend Area, Texas. 1972.
* QE 168 B5 W5 Geology Library

Wilson, J.A., et al. Vertebrate Paleontology, Biostratigraphy and Depositional Environments, Latest Cretaceous and Tertiary, Big Bend Area, Texas. 1989. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Field Trip 1A,B,C, 1989
* 566.06 SO13G 1989 no.1A,B,C Geology Library

MAPS

Big Bend National Park, Texas. 1992. Trails Illustrated Topo Map no. 225.
Geology Library - Tobin Map Collection
* G 4032 B5 E63 1992 T7 Geology Maps

Emory Peak - Presidio Sheet. 1979. Geologic Atlas of Texas (1:250,000 scale)
Geology Library - Tobin Map Collection
* G 4031 C5 s250 T4 no.15 Geology Maps

Geologic Highway Map of Texas. 1973. AAPG Geologic Highway Map Series
Geology Library - Tobin Map Collection
* G 4031 C5 1973 R4 Geology Maps

Geologic Map of the Big Bend National Park, Brewster County, Texas. 1966. from: BEG Guidebook 7
Geology Library - Tobin Map Collection
* G 4033 B76 C5 1966 M3 Geology Maps

Geology of Bofecillos Mountains Area, Trans-Pecos Texas. 1970. Bureau of Economic Geology Geologic Quadrangle Map no.37
Geology Library - Tobin Map Collection
* G 4031 C5 T4 GQ37 Geology Maps

The Basins and Ranges; The Mountains of Far Western Texas. 1986. Earth Enterprises. (1:500,000 scale)
Geology Library - Tobin Map Collection
* G 4031 C2 1986 F4 Geology Maps

Summary of the Tectonic Development of Trans-Pecos Texas. 1985. Bureau of Economic Geology Miscellaneous Map no.36 (1:500,000 scale)
Geology Library - Tobin Collection
* G 4032 T7 C55 1985 H4 Geology Maps

INTERNET MAP RESOURCES

The PCL Map Collection has three Big Bend maps available on-line (note these are big files):
Big Bend National Park Topographic Map (796k)

Big Bend National Park Regional Map (29k)

Big Bend National Park Map (1M)

GRADUATE RESEARCH

Bagstad, D.P., 1981. Structural Analysis of Folding of Paleozoic Sequence, Solitario Uplift, Trans-Pecos, Texas. (MS, Texas Tech)
* QE 654 B34 1981

Bumgardner, J., 1976. Geology of the Gabbro Sill Surrounding Mariscal Mountain, Big Bend National Park, Texas. (MA)
* Thesis 1976 B88

Cobb, R.C., 1980. Structural Geology of the Santiago Mountains Between Pine Mountain and Persimmon Gap, Trans-Pecos Texas. (MA)
* Thesis 1980 C634

Davies, K., 1983. Hadrosaurian Dinosaurs of Big Bend National Park, Brewster County, Texas. (MA)
* Thesis 1983 D287

DeCamp, D., 1981. Structural Geology of Mesa de Anguila, Big Bend National Park, Trans-Pecos Texas. (MA)
* Thesis 1981 D355

Diggs, T., 1989. Sedimentology and Structural Geology of the Housetop Mountains/Castle Mountain Area, Marathon Basin, Trans-Pecos Texas. (MA)
* Thesis 1989 D569

Hopkins, E., 1965. Sedimentology of the Aguja Formation, Big Bend National Park, Brewster County, Texas. (MA)
* T1965 H774

Lawson, D., 1972. Paleoecology of the Tornillo Formation, Big Bend National Park, Brewster County, Texas. (MA)
* Thesis 1972 L444

Lehman, T., 1982. A Ceratopsian Bone Bed From the Aguja Formation (Upper Cretaceous) Big Bend National Park, Texas. (MA)
* Thesis 1982 L528

Lewis, P.S., 1978. Igneous Petrology and Strontium Isotope Geochemistry of the Christmas Mountains, Brewster County, Texas. (MA)
* Thesis 1978 L588

Maler, M., 1989. Structural Geology of the Southernmost Sierra del Caballo Muerto/Boquillas Canyon Area, Big Bend National Park, Texas. (MA)
* Thesis 1989 M293

Miller, Mary Stewart, 1997. Squamates of the Campanian Terlingua Local Fauna, Brewster County, Texas. (MA)
* Thesis 1997 M616

Moustafa, A., 1983. Analysis of Laramide and Younger Deformation of a Segment of the Big Bend Region, Texas. (PhD)
* Diss 1983 M867

Ogley, D., 1978. Eruptive History of the Pine Canyon Caldera, Big Bend National Park, Texas. (MA)
* Thesis 1978 Og5

Poth, Stephen, 1979. Structural Transition Between the Santiago and Del Carmen Mountains in Northern Big Bend National Park, Texas. (MA)
* Thesis 1979 P848

Runkel, A., 1988. Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, and Vertebrate Paleontology of Eocene Rocks, Big Bend Region, Texas. (PhD)
* Diss 1988 R874

Sankey, J. T., 1998. Vertebrate Paleontology and Magnetostratigraphy of the Upper Aguja Formation (Late Campanian), Talley Mountain Area, Big Bend National Park, Texas. (PhD - Northern Arizona State University)
* QE 841 S266 1998a

Schiebout, J., 1970. Sedimentology of Paleocene Black Peaks Formation, Western Tornillo Flat, Big Bend National Park, Texas. (MA)
* T 1970 Sch32

Schiebout, J., 1973. Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoecology of Paleocene Black Peaks Formation, Big Bend National Park, Texas. (PhD)
* Diss 1973 Sch32

Stevens, J.B., 1969. Geology of the Castolon Area, Big Bend National Park, Brewster County, Texas. (PhD)
* TD1969 St47

Thurwachter, J., 1984. Sedimentology of Neogene Basin-Fill Deposits, Lower Tornillo Creek Area, Big Bend National Park, Texas. (MA)
* Thesis 1984 T427

Toelle, B.E., 1981. Structural Geology of the Persimmon Gap Area of Big Bend National Park, Brewster County, Texas based on Remote Sensing and Field Methods. (MS - Stephen F. Austin State University)
* FILM 17,464

Tomlinson, S. L., 1997. Late Cretaceous and Early Tertiary Turtles from the Big Bend Region, Brewster County, Texas. (PhD - Texas Tech)
* QE 862 C5 T66 1997a

White, J. C., 1997. The Petrology of the Leyva Canyon Member of the Rawls Formation, Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas. (MS - Sul Ross State Universtiy)
* QE 445 T4 W558 1997a

Reference Sources

To find more in-depth coverage of journal articles, graduate research done on other campuses, conference proceedings, etc., not listed here:

Bibliography and Index of Texas Geology
Comprehensive coverage of Texas geology up to 1985.
* Geology Library Reference area -- Index Tables

GEO-REF, the online version of the Bibliography and Index of Geology.
This index covers the geological literature of North America since 1785, and the world since 1933. Best continuation for the Texas bibliography for publications since 1985.
* Remote access to GEO-REF is restricted to students, faculty, and staff, but visitors are welcome to use GEO-REF at workstations in any of the UT the University of Texas Libraries . The paper version of the Bibliography and Index of Geology is still available in the Geology Library.


Map of the Big Bend / Trans Pecos Area

Big Bend map

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