The Interior Lowlands are a broad area of mostly level or gently rolling land in the central United States. They extend north toward Canada and lie east of the Great Plains. The North Central Plains of Texas form the southwestern part of this larger region.
North Central Plains
The North Central Plains extend across north-central Texas. They lie between the Blackland Prairie to the east and the Caprock Escarpment to the west. From north to south, the region stretches from the Red River toward the Colorado River.
The landscape includes rolling grasslands, broad prairies, river valleys, and bands of woodland. Rainfall generally decreases from east to west, so the western part of the region is usually drier. These differences in rainfall, soil, and vegetation affect farming, ranching, settlement, and other economic activities.
Indigenous peoples lived, hunted, farmed, and traveled across these plains and woodlands for thousands of years. The region later became important for cattle ranching, agriculture, railroads, energy production, and growing cities.
West Texas Rolling Plains
The West Texas Rolling Plains cover much of the western part of the North Central Plains. The land rises gradually from east to west until it reaches the base of the Caprock Escarpment. It includes gently rolling grasslands, broad valleys, rivers, and areas of rougher terrain.
The region receives more rain in the east than in the west. Rainfall can also vary greatly from one year to another. Summers are generally hot, while winter temperatures can become cold.
Native grasses once covered much of the Rolling Plains. These grasslands continue to support cattle ranching, and some of Texas’s large ranches are located in the region. River valleys and flatter areas also provide land for farming.
Farmers grow crops such as wheat, cotton, grain sorghum, and hay. Oil and natural gas production are also important in some areas. Because rainfall is limited and unpredictable, farmers and ranchers must carefully manage soil and water.
Grand Prairie
The Grand Prairie lies near the eastern edge of the North Central Plains. It forms an irregular band extending south from the Red River through the Fort Worth area and toward central Texas. It is sometimes called the Fort Worth Prairie.
The Grand Prairie is a broad area of gently rolling grassland. Much of the region has shallow, clay-rich soil over limestone. A prairie is a large grassland with few trees. Historically, trees in the Grand Prairie grew mainly along rivers and streams, where more water was available.
The grasslands provide grazing land for cattle, sheep, goats, and other livestock. Farmers also grow crops such as wheat, corn, hay, and cotton in suitable areas.
Fort Worth developed along the eastern edge of the Grand Prairie near the Cross Timbers. Although much of the area was once rural, cities, roads, neighborhoods, farms, and businesses now cover large parts of the original prairie. Only small areas of native grassland remain, and conservation efforts seek to protect and restore them.
Eastern and Western Cross Timbers
The Eastern and Western Cross Timbers are two long bands of woodland that extend through the North Central Plains. They are connected near the Red River and run south on either side of the Grand Prairie.
The Eastern Cross Timbers form a relatively narrow belt of woodland east of the Grand Prairie. The Western Cross Timbers cover a larger area to the west. Early travelers named the region the Cross Timbers because they had to cross thick bands of trees while moving across the surrounding prairies.
Post oak and blackjack oak are the most common trees. Other trees, including elm, hickory, and pecan, grow in some areas, especially near rivers and streams. The Cross Timbers also contain open grasslands and savannas. A savanna is a grassland with scattered trees.
Soils vary across the region but are often sandy or loamy. Some areas support crops such as peanuts, fruits, vegetables, corn, cotton, and hay. Ranching is also common, and woodland and grassland provide habitat for many kinds of wildlife.
The Cross Timbers once formed a natural barrier that influenced travel and settlement. Today, farming, ranching, towns, highways, and expanding cities have changed much of the original landscape. However, remaining woodlands and prairies continue to show how the region looked before widespread development.
