| Wright Mountain | |
| Elevation Ft: | 6031 |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] |
| Prominence Ft: | 209 |
| Isolation Mi: | 0.63 |
| Isolation Ref: | [2] |
| Parent Peak: | Panther Peak (6,418 ft) |
| Etymology: | George Melendez Wright |
| Range: | Chisos Mountains |
| Country: | United States |
| State: | Texas |
| Region: | Brewster |
| Region Type: | County |
| Part Type: | Protected area |
| Part: | Big Bend National Park |
| Map: | Texas#USA |
| Label Position: | top |
| Coordinates: | 29.2955°N -103.2257°W |
| Coordinates Ref: | [3] |
| Topo: | USGS Panther Junction |
| Age: | Oligocene |
| Rock: | Extrusive igneous rock |
Wright Mountain is a 6031feet summit in Brewster County, Texas, United States.
Wright Mountain is set within Big Bend National Park, the Chihuahuan Desert, and the Chisos Mountains. The mountain is composed of volcanic rock which formed during the Oligocene period.[4] Although modest in elevation, topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 1,800 feet (549 m) above the surrounding terrain in 1miles. Based on the Köppen climate classification, Wright Mountain is located in a hot arid climate zone with hot summers and mild winters.[5] Any scant precipitation runoff from the mountain's slopes drains northeast to Tornillo Creek which is a tributary of the Rio Grande. The lower slopes of the peak are covered by juniper, oak, and piñon. The mountain's toponym was officially adopted in 1948 by the United States Board on Geographic Names to honor George Melendez Wright (1904–1936), an American biologist who conceived of, then conducted, the first scientific survey of fauna for the National Park Service between 1929 and 1933.[3] [6] He advanced quickly with the National Park Service, in 1933 becoming the first leader of the agency's new Wildlife Division. In 1936, Wright was part of an international commission to investigate the potential values of a protected area to straddle the Rio Grande area of Texas and Mexico. The report was enthusiastic and the commission endorsed the national park idea. Tragically, George Wright and Roger Toll were killed in a car accident on their return from Texas. Toll and Wright Mountains were named in their memory.[7]