Briscoe County, Texas

6 local notes for Briscoe County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. Panhandle / High Plains.

Money & Taxes

Property tax

How the Briscoe County Appraisal District Works

The Briscoe County Appraisal District appraises all property in the county, while a separate tax assessor-collector handles billing and collection — and you can lower your tax bill with a homestead exemption if this is your primary residence.

Agricultural appraisal

Ag Valuation: How Farmland Gets Taxed in Briscoe County

Most working farmland and ranch land in Briscoe County can be taxed on what the land produces, not what it would sell for. This can cut the property tax bill significantly.

Home & Property

Water / Groundwater

The Ogallala Aquifer: Briscoe County's Underground Water Supply

Nearly all water in Briscoe County — for homes, farms, and livestock — comes from the Ogallala Aquifer. This underground water supply has been dropping for decades because pumping outpaces natural refill.

Outdoors

State park / Wildlife

Caprock Canyons State Park: Canyons, Bison, and Dark Skies

Caprock Canyons State Park in Quitaque sits along the eastern edge of the High Plains and is home to the official Texas State Bison Herd, nearly 90 miles of trails, a designated Dark Sky area, and a bat colony in a historic railroad tunnel.

Rules & Licenses

Wildfire / Fire safety

Wildfire Risk and Burn Bans in Briscoe County

The Texas Panhandle, including Briscoe County, sees some of the state's highest wildfire risk, especially during dry winters and springs — and the county commissioners court can issue outdoor burn bans that make it illegal to burn on your property.

History & Culture

History

Tule Canyon and the End of the Comanche Era

Tule Canyon in Briscoe County was the site of a key 1874 military campaign. That campaign ended Comanche and Kiowa control of the Southern Plains and opened the door to the ranching and farming era that shaped the county.