The North Concho River is the longest fork, starting in Howard County and traveling southeast for 88 mi (142 km) until merging with the South and Middle forks near Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas.

Ivie Lake about 12 mi (19 km) east of Paint Rock, Texas.

[3] Hernando de Ugarte y la Concha, Governor of New Mexico, dispatched an expedition from Santa Fe in 1650 led by Captain Diego del Castillo, to explore what is now north central Texas.

The expedition reached the territory of the Tejas Indians, and reported finding pearls on the Concho River.

[4] The Spanish explored the river for the gem-quality purple to pink pearls produced by that species.