The mesa on the right shows a layer of limestone that is part of the Caprock  which underlies the great plains in North America. Most of the soils in the foreground are limestone rich material eroded  from the Caprock.  Going northeast or southeast from this location will traverse red Permian age soils along the eastern margin of the Permian basin.  This inland sea evaporated long ago leaving gypsum, salt, and potash deposits along a line that runs from Carlsbad, New Mexico to south central Kansas. You can read more about the Permian deposits in a paper published by the U. S. Geological survey by N. H. Darton.  Most of the time I have lived in Texas has been in, on, or adjacent to the Permian Basin and their characteristic red sand and clay soils. Lots of things can happen in 300 to 350 million years.

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