Texas may be better known for its wide open plains and prairies, but the Lone Star State is also home to a number of mountain ranges and peaks. Though none are nearly as tall as famous ranges like the Rockies or the Appalachians, Texas mountains have a beauty and charm all their own.
In this article, we’ve gathered 46 riddles about some of the most iconic mountains and ranges across Texas. Do you know the tallest peak in the state? What about the smallest mountain range? Test your knowledge of Texas topoography with these geographical brainteasers!
The Mountains of Texas
Before we get to the riddles, let’s do a quick overview of some of the main mountain ranges and peaks in Texas:
- Guadalupe Mountains – Highest point in Texas at Guadalupe Peak (8,751 ft)
- Davis Mountains – Home to the popular McDonald Observatory and Mount Locke (6,790 ft)
- Chisos Mountains – Located in Big Bend National Park with Emory Peak (7,825 ft)
- Franklin Mountains – Iconic ridge in El Paso, contains North Franklin Peak (7,192 ft)
- Sierra Diablo Mountains – Includes Hueco Tanks State Park and Historical Site
- Texas Hill Country – Rolling low hills in central Texas, very scenic
There are plenty more ranges and solitary mountains spread throughout the state as well. Now let’s puzzle over some brain-busting riddles about these Texas peaks!
The Riddles
1. I’m the highest mountain you’ll find in the great state of Texas, a lofty peak that rises up above the Chihuahuan Desert.
Answer: Guadalupe Peak
2. Find me in far west Texas where I tower nearly a mile over the Rio Grande river way down below.
Answer: Sierra Aguilada
3. My tall reddish cliffs are home to both mountain lions and mountain goats roaming my slopes.
Answer: Sierra Diablo Mountains
4. I may not be the tallest in height, but I’m longest in length, stretching over 100 miles across west Texas in a rugged ridge.
Answer: Beach Mountains
5. My symmetrical pyramid shape stands out near Fort Davis, crowned with an observatory up on the peak.
Answer: Mount Locke
6. You’ll find me sitting right along the border, overlooking the Rio Grande with my sister peak right next door.
Answer: North Franklin Mountain
7. Deep in the heart of Texas I reside, with scenic hills and valleys on every side in this lovely countryside.
Answer: Texas Hill Country
8. I may not be the highest peak, but I’m one of the most unique, with my eroded gypsum daggers jutting up towards the sky.
Answer: Hueco Tanks
9. My name comes from early Spanish explorers who thought I looked like a smoking oven from afar.
Answer: Sierra del Carmen
10. You’ll have to traverse through sharp lechuguilla and yucca to climb my nearly 8,000 foot summit within Big Bend.
Answer: Emory Peak
11. I’m not one single peak but many, made up of over 1,000 climbing domes of granite rising out of the desert.
Answer: Texas Granite Dells
12. My tall cliffs were long considered impregnable, but that didn’t stop native tribes and later pioneers from calling this area home.
Answer: Sierra Diablo Mountains
13. Lofty Mount Livermore is my highest point, but I also hold another special title – the smallest mountain range in all of Texas!
Answer: Davis Mountains
14. My rocky walls were carved by the wind and water long ago into wondrous shapes that draw in photographers from all around.
Answer: Palo Duro Canyon
15. I’m not nearly the highest, but I stand alone rising straight up from the coastal prairie surrounding me on all sides.
Answer: Sugarloaf Mountain
16. You’ll have to do some bouldering and rock climbing to conquer my highest point, known for its striking sedimentary layers.
Answer: Enchanted Rock
17. My sandstone walls glow bright orange in the light of the setting sun, which reflects beautifully off the waters of the Rio Grande below.
Answer: Santa Elena Canyon
18. Locals flock to my beautiful blue waters, the centerpiece of this state park nestled in the Texas Hill Country.
Answer: Inks Lake
19. Millionaires helped establish my mountaintop retreat in the 1920s, now a luxury hotel that still hosts visitors to this day.
Answer: Mount Livermore
20. My rocky exposure in a sea of prairie grasses makes me a real lone star among Texas mountains.
Answer: Sugarloaf Mountain
21. I’m not a single peak but a duo, with a nickname meaning “the false twins” owing to my two summits of slightly different heights.
Answer: The Sierra Hermana
22. My tall reddish brown cliffs are frequented by expert rock climbers looking to test their skills on my challenging routes.
Answer: Hueco Tanks
23. Look closely at my upper ridges and you just might spot bighorn sheep navigating my craggy and nearly vertical walls.
Answer: Beach Mountains
24. My rocky peak was named in honor of a Civil War general, who later became governor of Texas.
Answer: Mount Locke
25. I’m not a single mountain but a 40-mile ridgeline spanning the border, marked by colorful hoodoos and striking rock formations.
Answer: Sierra del Carmen
26. Thrill-seekers love parachuting from my summit, landing gently on the desert floor nearly a vertical mile below.
Answer: Guadalupe Peak
27. My foreboding name comes from early Spanish explorers, owing to my dark cliffs that resemble a smoking oven from a distance.
Answer: Sierra del Carmen
28. I’m not nearly the highest point, but I do stand out with my domed granite top rising up above central Texas.
Answer: Enchanted Rock
29. My flat top and gentle slopes seem to bubble up from the surrounding Texas Hill Country, covered in a bounty of wildflowers each spring.
Answer: Mount Bonnell
30. My semi-arid cliffs are home to pinyon pines and junipers, escaping the desert heat by climbing over a mile high.
Answer: Guadalupe Mountains
31. I’m named for a Texas county, and my tallest point also shares its name with a famous French palace.
Answer: Jeff Davis County Mountains
32. Visitors flock to my state park to see the neon blues and emerald greens of my scenic waters, tucked amid the surrounding hills.
Answer: Inks Lake
33. My steep and narrow gorge carved by the Rio Grande has walls towering up to 1,500 feet tall in striking layers of rock.
Answer: Santa Elena Canyon
34. My rocky pinnacles jutting skyward attracted Native American tribes like the Mescalero Apache who saw them as sacred ground.
Answer: Hueco Tanks
35. I’m the heart of Texas Hill Country, dotted with charming small towns and scenic vistas around every bend.
Answer: Texas Hill Country
36. My rocky dome rising 400 feet scored me a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.
Answer: Enchanted Rock
37. Spot me standing alone southwest of Austin, my pink granite face glowing red in the light of sunset.
Answer: Mount Bonnell
38. Geology buffs flock to my scenic state park to see the grand canyon carved into my fossil-filled limestone.
Answer: Palo Duro Canyon
39. I’m found deep in west Texas marking the border, with striking rock formations and hoodoos dotting my steep cliffs.
Answer: Sierra del Carmen
40. Cowboys still come herd cattle across my rolling grassy landscape, like they have for generations.
Answer: Texas Hill Country
41. My 300-million-year old pink granite dome attracts hikers looking to see Texas from my lofty summit.
Answer: Enchanted Rock
42. Millionaire bankers from New York helped fund construction of my mountaintop getaway back in the roaring 20s.
Answer: Mount Livermore
43. The Comanche people believed my domed summit was sacred ground, owing to supposed supernatural events that occurred here.
Answer: Enchanted Rock
44. Early Spanish explorers bestowed my smoking oven name owing to my dark red cliffs visible from miles away.
Answer: Sierra del Carmen
45. My winding trail leads through a narrow slot canyon, with walls narrowing to just a couple feet apart in areas.
Answer: Santa Elena Canyon
46. Vast ranchlands surround me on all sides, dotted with live oaks as old witnessed generations pass through this storied Texas landscape.
Answer: Texas Hill Country
Conclusion
So there you have it – 46 riddles all about the unique and scenic mountains found across Texas! From the highest peak in Guadalupe Mountains to the sprawling Hill Country, Texas has plenty of elevation and incredible vistas.
Though they lack towering heights found out west in ranges like the Rockies or Tetons, Texas mountains have a charm and beauty all their own thanks to striking rock formations, desert ecosystems bursting with life, and panoramic views out over the Chihuahuan desert and rugged canyonlands. The next time you find yourself exploring the Lone Star State, make sure to spend some time among its lofty peaks!
