Welcome to the Virtual Texas Tour With your tour guide Tumbleweed Tonya on the Texas Trail! Please remember to fasten your seatbelt! Enter and Exit through the aisle. Take notes on the beautiful sights you see! We’ll be making four stops, so hold on tight! By the way, tips for the tour guide are encouraged!

Our next stop is the High Plains region! The High Plains region is also known as part of the Great Plains. Most of the Texas panhandle is located here. High Plains Region

Land in the High Plains region is higher, but more level than in other regions. It’s very high in elevation, but is still very flat.

In the southern part of the High Plains is a landform called the Edwards Plateau. It’s very high and flat, like a table. The southern and eastern parts have hills though. This area of Texas is often called the “Hill Country”.

In the Texas panhandle is a landform called the Cap Rock Escarpment In the Texas panhandle is a landform called the Cap Rock Escarpment. This is where the rolling Central Plains meet the high, flat land of the High Plains.

In the southern part of the High Plains is another escarpment called the Balcones Escarpment. Spanish explorers called it that because it looked like “balconies”

Palo Duro Canyon is the largest canyon in the U. S Palo Duro Canyon is the largest canyon in the U.S. It is sometimes called the “Grand Canyon of Texas”. Palo Duro Canyon is located just south of Amarillo.

High plains region ~ animals Deer. Wild turkeys. Mountain lion. Coyote. Prairie dog. Jackrabbit. Burrowing owl.

Plants of the High Plains grassy plains Plains cottonwood Bur oak Sugarberry Eastern red cedar

Blizzard in the Panhandle Sandstorm in the Panhandle The High Plains region is very dry and has little water supply. Early settlers faced many droughts and sandstorms. However in the winter, the panhandle will often get blizzards, a very harsh snow storm. Blizzard in the Panhandle Sandstorm in the Panhandle

Ranching is very popular in the High Plains Ranching is very popular in the High Plains. Flat grassy land is perfect for raising cattle. What you don’t see are armadillos. It’s much too cold here! Not up in the panhandle! Longhorn cattle

Wheat and cotton are important crops in the High plains Wheat and cotton are important crops in the High plains. Wheat can grow in areas with little water.

Two major cities in the High Plains are Lubbock and Amarillo Two major cities in the High Plains are Lubbock and Amarillo. Both cities grew after railroads were built in Texas. Railroads carried the cattle to markets back east.

Today, both Lubbock and Amarillo are cities in the High Plains and are home to many different industries, including: farming, cattle ranching, gas & oil, health care, and tourism.

Okay, everyone back on the bus! Make sure you took plenty of notes! Very high, flat land Plateaus, mesas, and canyons Region is very dry with little rain Cooler land because of high elevation Major cities: Amarillo and Lubbock Important crops: cotton and wheat Caprock Escarpment separates the Great Plains from the Central Plains