Glenn Spring Historic Site

Glenn Spring is a desert water source in Glenn Draw, beside the site of the candelilla-wax camp and small settlement that grew around it. The spring remains; little else recalls the village, so expect a quiet landscape rather than preserved streets and buildings. Its green growth is a vivid contrast with the surrounding dry hills.

Water and candelilla drew industry here. In 1914, C. D. Wood, W. K. Ellis and their partners built a factory to render wax from the plant, employing 40–60 Mexican workers. The process boiled candelilla stems with water and sulfuric acid, then skimmed and refined the wax.

In May 1916, a raid killed four people, wounded four, looted the store and damaged the factory and other buildings. A U.S. cavalry camp remained here until 1920. The spring was also an important stop on a branch of the Great Comanche Trail; flint chips and bedrock mortar holes in the area point to earlier Indigenous use.

Glenn Spring is at the eastern end of Black Gap Road, where it meets Glenn Springs Road. Reaching it means driving remote primitive dirt roads: use a high-clearance, true 4WD vehicle, and expect the washes to worsen after heavy rain. Carry water and check park road conditions before setting out; a breakdown on Big Bend’s isolated roads can become dangerous. Primitive campsites along Glenn Springs Road require permits and are separate from this historic stop.