Intensive Archaeological Survey of the Proposed Lone Mountain Bike Trail, Big Bend National Park, Brewster County, Texas

The Center for Big Bend Studies, Sul Ross State University, conducted an intensive archaeological survey in September 2007 of the proposed Lone Mountain Bike Trail corridor in Big Bend National Park, Brewster County, Texas. The project was conducted to satisfy federal requirements relative to Executive Order 11593 of 1971 and Sections 106 and 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. A total of nine sites were evaluated during the project: five new sites and four that had been previously recorded. Five of the sites contain only prehistoric components, two sites contain only historic components, and two sites contain both. Features documented consisted of rock circles, rock alignments, rock groupings, cairns, a boulder cluster, hearths, fire cracked rock concentrations, a dam, a water diversion berm, and a stock tank. Recommendations call for the trail to be re-routed around BIBE-1045 and BIBE-2087 and that extra caution be exercised at BIBE-2089 to minimize potential impacts. In addition, it is recommended that BIBE-596 be updated and that remaining high-probability areas be surveyed on Lone Mountain. Seven artifacts were collected during this investigation which will be permanently housed at Big Bend National Park.

* Contact the Center at (432) 837-8179 or at cbbs@sulross.edu to obtain a photocopy.