The Great Plains, which begin as far north as Canada, stretch south through the United States into the state of Texas. Texas features a variety of regions with the plains covering most of the state until the beginnings of the Gulf Coast region near the southern point of the state. The Great Plains sub-regions in Texas contain several ecosystems and areas of wildlife.
The Panhandle sits in the uppermost portion of Texas and is the entry point for the Great Plains into the state. Bordered by New Mexico and Oklahoma, the panhandle comprises 25, 823 square miles of land, the equivalency of 10 percent of the state of Texas. The second-largest canyon in the country, Palo Duro Canyon, is located in this section of the state. As of the 2000 census, more than 400,000 residents live in the Panhandle area. Today, it is one of the fastest growing wind power producing regions in the nation.
Also known as the Staked Plains, Llano Estacado is the largest mesa in North America. Starting at an elevation of 3,000 feet in the southeast, the region tops out at 5,000 feet in the northwest while blending into the Edwards Plateau in the southern region. At 37,500 square miles, Llano Estacado contains 33 counties. It also blends into the eastern portion of neighboring New Mexico.
Known for its hot summers and cold winters, the Llano Estacado region is one of the top cotton producing areas in the country. It has a low population density and its most populated towns are Odessa and Lubbock, located in the state's western region.
Surrounded by the Balcones Fault to the south and Llano Estacado to the north, the Edwards Plateau contains 40 counties within its borders. Farmers use the area for grazing because the soil is less suited for growing crops. The Edwards Plateau region also contains two of Texas' major cities, Austin and San Antonio.
Outside of the cities and the grazing regions, the Edwards Plateau has several rivers flowing to the south. Within the region are caves that center as the home to several different species of animals. Large colonies of bats pepper the region, with a high concentration located in and around Austin.
