In its lower reaches, the chasm contains the area's only permanent stream. The water supports luxuriant growth. The only way to see McKittrick Canyon is afoot. I start down the easy trail that leads from the outlying parking lot. Soon, the canyon becomes deeper and more closed in.
Leaves rustle in a gentle breeze.
Stands of pine and glades of maple and oak turn the abyss into an arboreal oasis. Come autumn, those leaves will burst into the crimsons and golds that have made McKittrick one of Texas' favorite leaf-peeping sites. At 2.3 miles, the path reaches Mr. Pratt's former home. Even the roof is sheeted with rock. Rock also forms the inside walls.