Heading west on I-10 from Junction toward El Paso, the scenery quickly flattens. The Hill Country gives way to dry, open country, and the miles can begin to feel long. A few miles past Ozona, Exit 325 to Sheffield opens the door to a very different landscape. Pick up State Highway 349 and drive nearly 27 miles (43 km) south, and you arrive at one of the most surprising places in Texas: The Nature Conservancy’s Independence Creek Preserve, a green ribbon of water and shade in the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert.
The preserve’s story began in 1991, when the Chandler family worked with The Nature Conservancy to protect their ranch with a 702-acre (284 ha) conservation easement. In 2000 and 2001, TNC acquired the adjacent Oasis and Canon ranches, expanding protection to roughly 20,000 acres (about 8,100 ha) in Terrell County. In 2024, those decades of work were recognized when Independence Creek Preserve was designated a National Natural Landmark.
What makes the place so special is water. Caroline Spring, on the preserve grounds, releases roughly 3,000 to 5,000 gallons per minute (about 11,400 to 18,900 liters per minute) and supplies about a quarter of the creek’s flow. It rises through fractures in the Edwards Limestone from the deeper Trinity Sands under artesian pressure, and like other springs of the Edwards–Trinity Aquifer, it runs cool year-round — cold enough, against West Texas heat, to make you catch your breath. Eight miles (13 km) of that clear, spring-fed water cools the canyons before joining the lower Pecos River, where the creek’s contribution boosts the Pecos’s volume by about 42 percent and cuts its dissolved-salt load by roughly half. A single tributary keeps a long stretch of river alive.
The result is a desert sanctuary for native fish such as the Proserpine shiner, Rio Grande darter, and headwater catfish, and a birding hotspot with more than 250 recorded species. Public access is intentionally limited to volunteer workdays, scheduled events, and a handful of open weekends each year, with appointments needed outside those dates — a small price for keeping a place this fragile this wild.
That is the story behind the shots. If you liked this post, you may also be interested in others featuring Independence Creek Preserve, Landscapes, Nature Conservancy, One Step, Parks, and Texas. Until the next time, keep clicking and capturing the beauty your eyes find.
Posted for Pepper’s One Step at a Time # 10.
Sources
- The Nature Conservancy — Independence Creek Preserve — https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/independence-creek-preserve/
- The Nature Conservancy — Independence Creek Preserve Becomes a National Natural Landmark (2024) — https://www.nature.org/en-us/newsroom/independence-creek-preserve-national-natural-landmark/
- U.S. National Park Service — Southern Texas Desert Oasis (Independence Creek) — https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/southern-texas-desert-oasis.htm
- Marfa Public Radio — Independence Creek Preserve: A West Texas Oasis Is the Nation’s Newest Natural Landmark — https://www.marfapublicradio.org/show/nature-notes/2024-09-20/independence-creek-preserve-a-west-texas-oasis-is-the-nations-newest-natural-landmark
- Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine — Fighting for Independence (July 2006) — https://tpwmagazine.com/archive/2006/jul/ed_8/
- Texas Highways — An Oasis in the West Texas Desert: Chandler Ranch on Independence Creek — https://texashighways.com/travel-news/a-creek-runs-through-it-chandler-ranch-independence-creek/
- Big Bend Sentinel — Our Water Matters: Sweet Caroline (Trey Gerfers, Aug. 2024) — https://bigbendsentinel.com/2024/08/21/our-water-matters-51/
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Marsha
What a beautiful place, Egidio! The colors at sunset almost stop your heart with their beauty. Your story reminds me of this area in Central California. We live in a river delta. they dammed the three branches of the Kaweah River in the 60s to stop the flooding and to provide water year-long in a semi-arid climate that is primarily agricultural. I have one picture of the lake in my newsletter today. We don’t have much vegetation surrounding the lake. I wonder how deep your lake is. Great post, my friend. xxx
Egidio Leitao
Thank you for your kind words, Marsha. I couldn’t find the depth and temperature of the springs in those photos.
Marsha
No worries. It reminded me of an invisible lake we have in Tulare County. It used to be the largest freshwater lake west of the Rockies, but in the 1800s they drained it. It ranged from 6-10 feet deep in the middle, but spread out over miles. Once in a great while it reappears when we have a lot of rain.
One Step at a Time #11 - Heavens Sunshine
Pingback: […] captured more of Stockholm’s colorful architectureEgidio shared beautiful waterscapes from Independence Creek PreserveJu-Lyn captured pretty overcast skies at Bay East […]
shoestringdiary
Beautiful, subtle colors on your 1st and last shots. Hard to imagine how a desert can contain a body of water like the one you just showed.
Egidio Leitao
It is very surprising indeed. A true oasis. Thanks for the comment.
Anita
Your photos are wonderful Egidio. I really enjoyed seeing this place through your lens. And the way you captured that special light is truly beautiful.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks so much, Anita. It’s a beautiful place.
Anne Sandler
Again, it’s amazing how the desert surprises us. Your beautiful post shows it so well. The California desert has surprises too. The oasis in Palm Desert and surrounding areas are amazing. It makes you wonder about nature’s sense of humor!
Egidio Leitao
You make an excellent point, Anne. Nature is unpredictable. Thanks for writing.
Steve Schwartzman
I’ve known about Balmorhea Springs for a long time, but the Independence Creek Preserve is new to me. I’m glad you told us about this oasis.
Egidio Leitao
This is completely different from Balmorhea. It is more rustic and not developed at all. You just need to look at the NC site to see when there is an open weekend.
Lindy Le Coq
What a blessing The Nature Conservancy is! Beautiful spot – thanks for sharing it.
Egidio Leitao
Lindy, the Nature Conservancy is truly a gem in land preservation. It’s one of those organizations I contribute on a regular basis. They do good things all over the world. I’m sure you have some NC preserves in your area, too. Thanks for commeting.
TextileRanger
Wow! I have spent a lot of time in West Texas but I have never even heard of this preserve! Although now I see you have done previous posts about it. I am very glad to learn about it, thank you!
Egidio Leitao
It’s a hidden gem in West Texas. The problem is timing your trip with when the Nature Conservancy has the preserve open. I’ve been there a couple of times and hope to return this fall.
Pepper
A wonderfully informative post and beautiful images. 😊
Egidio Leitao
Thanks for the feedback, Pepper. It’s about a six-hour drive from here, but I may just have to go back there this fall, if they have an open weekend.