Landforms: In Texas and around the United States A landform is a natural structure on the Earth’s surface.

Galveston Bay, Texas A bay is a body of water that is partly enclosed by land.

Grand Canyon, Arizona A canyon is a deep narrow valley with steep sides; it often has a stream or river running through it.

Palo Duro Canyon, Texas

Grand Canyon, Arizona

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Wyoming

Guadalupe Canyon, Mexico

Cave with No Name, Texas A cave is a large hole in the ground or in the side of a hill or mountain; usually formed by weathering and erosion.

Cave with No Name, Texas

Mississippi River Delta, Louisiana A delta is a large flat area of land at the mouth of a river. Deltas are formed by the deposition of sediments as a river flows into a gulf, bay, or ocean.

Brazos River Delta, Texas

South Padre Island, Texas Dunes, sometimes called sand dunes, are hills of sand deposited by the wind; dunes are most often found on beaches and in deserts.

Monahans Sand Hills, Texas

Gulf of Mexico A gulf is a part of the ocean or sea that is partially surrounded by land. A gulf is larger than a bay.

Texas Hill Country A hill is a raised area or mound of land. Hills are not as high as mountains.

Galveston Island An island is land that is completely surrounded by water.

Davis Mountains, Texas A mountain is a very tall, natural place on Earth’s surface.

Guadalupe Mountains, Texas El Capitan in the Guadalupe Mountains is the most photographed mountain in Texas.

Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon A valley is a long, low area of land, often with a river or stream running through it, that is surrounded by higher ground. The sides of a valley are not usually as steep as those of a canyon.

Canyon Valley Ranch, Texas

Enchanted Rock, Texas