The
Caprock Escarpment is a term used in
West Texas and
Eastern New Mexico to describe the geographical transition point between the level
high plains of the
Llano Estacado and the surrounding rolling terrain. In Texas, the escarpment stretches around south-southwest from the northeast corner of the
Texas Panhandle near the
Oklahoma border. The escarpment is especially notable, from north to south, in
Briscoe,
Floyd,
Motley,
Crosby,
Dickens,
Garza, and
Borden counties. In New Mexico, there is a prominent escarpment along the northernmost extension of the
Llano Estacado, especially to the south of
San Jon and
Tucumcari, both in
Quay County, New Mexico. Along the western edge of the Llano Estacado, the portion of the escarpment that stretches from
Caprock to
Maljamar, New Mexico is called the
Mescalero Escarpment or Mescalero Ridge.