Sierra Madre Oriental
A mountain range in eastern Mexico that extends roughly 1,000 kilometers from the U.S. border southward through several Mexican states.
Mexican Plateau: A highland region occupying much of central and northern Mexico. The range borders the plateau and helps define its eastern edge.
Thrust fault: A low-angle reverse fault along which older rocks are pushed over younger rocks. Thrusting helped stack and shorten sedimentary layers in parts of the range.
El Cielo Biosphere Reserve: A protected area in Tamaulipas, Mexico, known for varied elevations and ecosystems. It protects a striking sequence of habitats on the range’s eastern slopes.
Potrero Chico: A limestone climbing area in Nuevo León, Mexico, noted for tall cliffs and sport routes. Its steep limestone walls expose the range’s dramatic relief and rock formations.
Gulf Coastal Plain: A lowland region along the Gulf of Mexico, extending inland across parts of Mexico and the United States. The range rises west of this plain, shaping the transition from coast to highlands.
Mexican Fold and Thrust Belt: A tectonic belt of folded and faulted rocks extending through eastern Mexico. It encompasses much of the structural province expressed by the range.
Cumbres de Monterrey National Park: A protected mountain landscape surrounding Monterrey in Nuevo León, Mexico. Its rugged terrain preserves important headwaters and habitats within the range.
Huasteca Potosina: A region of eastern San Luis Potosí known for rivers, waterfalls, and tropical landscapes. Its terrain illustrates the wetter eastern flank and foothills of the range.
Laramide orogeny: A mountain-building episode that deformed western North America during the Late Cretaceous and early Paleogene. Its tectonic forces contributed to the region’s broad structural history.
Orographic precipitation: Precipitation produced when terrain forces moist air upward, cooling it to condensation. The range lifts Gulf moisture, producing wetter eastern slopes and drier interior areas.