About Chinati Mountains State Natural Area
The nearly 39,000-acre Chinati Mountains State Natural Area lies south of Pinto Canyon Road and just west of the high peaks of the range. These mountains are the result of a violent past. The largest volcanic eruption in the trans-Pecos region of Texas took place here over 35 million years ago. The rugged peaks and steep canyons of the Chinatis tell the story of that long-ago eruption. Humans have lived in the Chinati Mountains for over 8,000 years. Native Americans left their marks in the form of pictographs (rock paintings) and petroglyphs (rock carvings).