Big Bend National Park is an American
national park located in
West Texas
West Texas is a loosely defined region in the U.S. state of Texas, generally encompassing the arid and semiarid lands west of a line drawn between the cities of Wichita Falls, Abilene, and Del Rio.
No consensus exists on the boundary betwee ...
, bordering Mexico. The park has national significance as the largest protected area of
Chihuahuan Desert
The Chihuahuan Desert ( es, Desierto de Chihuahua, ) is a desert ecoregion designation covering parts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It occupies much of far West Texas, the middle to lower Rio Grande Valley and the lo ...
topography
Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps.
Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sc ...
and
ecology
Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overl ...
in the United States,
and was named after a
large bend in the
Rio Grande/Río Bravo. The park protects more than 1,200 species of plants, more than 450 species of birds, 56 species of reptiles, and 75 species of mammals.
Additional park activities include scenic drives, programs led by Big Bend park rangers, and stargazing.
The area has a rich cultural history, from
archeological sites dating back nearly 10,000 years to more recent
pioneer
Pioneer commonly refers to a settler who migrates to previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land.
In the United States pioneer commonly refers to an American pioneer, a person in American history who migrated west to join in settling and de ...
s,
ranch
A ranch (from es, rancho/Mexican Spanish) is an area of land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle and sheep. It is a subtype of a farm. These terms are most ofte ...
ers, and
miners
A miner is a person who extracts ore, coal, chalk, clay, or other minerals from the earth through mining. There are two senses in which the term is used. In its narrowest sense, a miner is someone who works at the rock face; cutting, blasting, ...
. The
Chisos Mountains
The Chisos Mountains, also known as the Chisos, are a mountain range located in the Big Bend area of the Trans-Pecos region of Texas, United States. The mountain system covers 40 square miles (104 square km) and is contained entirely within the ...
are located in the park, and are the only mountain range in the United States to be fully contained within the boundary of a
national park. Geological features in the park include sea fossils and
dinosaur bones
A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...
, as well as
volcanic dikes.
The park encompasses an area of , entirely within
Brewster County
Brewster County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in West Texas and its county seat (and only city) is Alpine. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region, and borders Mexico. Brewster County is th ...
.
For more than , the
Rio Grande/Río Bravo forms the boundary between Mexico and the United States, and Big Bend National Park administers approximately along that boundary.
Because the Rio Grande serves as an international boundary, the park faces unusual constraints while administering and enforcing park rules, regulations, and policies. In accordance with the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ( es, Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo), officially the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits, and Settlement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States, is the peace treaty that was signed on 2 ...
, the park's territory extends only to the center of the deepest river channel as the river flowed in 1848. The rest of the channel and the land south of it lies within Mexican territory. The park is bordered by the protected areas of
Cañón de Santa Elena and
Maderas del Carmen
Maderas del Carmen is a biosphere reserve in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila.
Maderas del Carmen encompasses part of the Sierra del Carmen, a northern finger of the Sierra Madre Oriental range. The reserve includes both dry Chihuahuan ...
in Mexico.
Geography and climate
![NPS big-bend-national-park-map](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/NPS_big-bend-national-park-map.jpg)
According to the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Big Bend National Park has a
hot semi-arid climate (''BSh'').
The park exhibits dramatic contrasts and its climate may be characterized as one of extremes. Dry and hot late spring and summer days often exceed in the lower elevations. Winters are normally mild but subfreezing temperatures occasionally occur. Because of the range in altitude from about along the river to
Emory Peak
Emory Peak, located in Big Bend National Park, is the highest peak in the Chisos Mountains and the highest in Brewster County. The peak is named for William H. Emory, the chief surveyor of the U.S. Boundary Survey team of 1852. From the Chisos Ba ...
in the
Chisos Mountains
The Chisos Mountains, also known as the Chisos, are a mountain range located in the Big Bend area of the Trans-Pecos region of Texas, United States. The mountain system covers 40 square miles (104 square km) and is contained entirely within the ...
at ,
a wide variation in available moisture and temperature exists throughout the park. These variations contribute to an exceptional diversity in plant and animal habitats. Some species in the park, such as the Chisos oak (''
Quercus graciliformis
''Quercus graciliformis'' (also known as the Chisos oak or slender oak) is a rare North American species of oak tree.
Description
''Quercus graciliformis'' is a deciduous tree up to tall. The leaves are elliptical or lance-shaped with 8–10 s ...
''), are found nowhere else in the United States.
The of river that form the southern park boundary include the spectacular canyons of Santa Elena, Mariscal, and Boquillas. The Rio Grande, which meanders through this portion of the
Chihuahuan Desert
The Chihuahuan Desert ( es, Desierto de Chihuahua, ) is a desert ecoregion designation covering parts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It occupies much of far West Texas, the middle to lower Rio Grande Valley and the lo ...
, has cut deep canyons with nearly vertical walls through three uplifts made primarily of
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
. Throughout the open
desert areas, the highly productive Rio Grande
riparian zone
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the terrestrial biomes of the Earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks a ...
includes numerous plant and animal species and significant cultural resources. The vegetative belt extends into the desert along
creeks and
arroyos.
The park's Chisos Mountains are
sky island
Sky islands are isolated mountains surrounded by radically different lowland environments. The term originally referred to those found on the Mexican Plateau, and has extended to similarly isolated high-elevation forests. The isolation has s ...
s surrounded by desert. A significant part of the park's tremendous biodiversity is represented by isolated populations of plants and animals found in the Chisos Mountains and in many of the desert springs distributed across the park.
South of the border lie the Mexican states of
Chihuahua and
Coahuila and newly protected areas for flora and fauna, which are regions known as the
Maderas del Carmen
Maderas del Carmen is a biosphere reserve in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila.
Maderas del Carmen encompasses part of the Sierra del Carmen, a northern finger of the Sierra Madre Oriental range. The reserve includes both dry Chihuahuan ...
and the
Cañón de Santa Elena.
History
![Sunset at Big Bend National Park](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Sunset_at_Big_Bend_National_Park.jpg)
During the early historic period (before 1535) several Indian groups were recorded as inhabiting the Big Bend. The Chisos Indians were a loosely organized group of nomadic hunters and gatherers who probably practiced limited agriculture on a seasonal basis. The origin of the Chisos Indians is not known. Linguistically, they were associated with the Conchos Indians of northern Chihuahua and northwestern Coahuila. Their language group spoke a variation of
Uto-Aztecan, a language whose speakers ranged from central Mexico to the
Great Basin of the U.S.
The
Jumano Jumanos were a tribe or several tribes, who inhabited a large area of western Texas, New Mexico, and northern Mexico, especially near the Junta de los Rios region with its large settled Indigenous population. They lived in the Big Bend area in ...
was a nomadic group that traveled and traded throughout
West Texas
West Texas is a loosely defined region in the U.S. state of Texas, generally encompassing the arid and semiarid lands west of a line drawn between the cities of Wichita Falls, Abilene, and Del Rio.
No consensus exists on the boundary betwee ...
and southeastern
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...
, but some historic records indicate they were enemies of the Chisos. Around the beginning of the 18th century, the
Mescalero Apaches
Mescalero or Mescalero Apache ( apm, Naa'dahéńdé) is an Apache tribe of Southern Athabaskan–speaking Native Americans. The tribe is federally recognized as the Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Apache Reservation, located in south-ce ...
began to invade the Big Bend region and displaced the Chisos Indians. One of the last Native American groups to use the Big Bend was the
Comanches
The Comanche or Nʉmʉnʉʉ ( com, Nʉmʉnʉʉ, "the people") are a Native American tribe from the Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the federally recognized Comanche Nation, headquartered in ...
, who passed through the park along the
Comanche Trail The Comanche Trail, sometimes called the Comanche War Trail or the Comanche Trace, was a travel route in Texas established by the nomadic Comanche nation.
Description
The route ran from the Comanche summer hunting grounds to the Rio Grande, w ...
on their way to and from periodic raids into the Mexican interior. These raids continued until the mid-19th century. The last of the great military leaders of the native peoples of the region was an Apache of Spanish ancestry named Alzate, who was active as late as the late 1860s.
The European presence in the region begins ''circa'' 1535 AD with the first
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
explorations into this portion of North America. The expedition of
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (; 1488/90/92"Cabeza de Vaca, Alvar Núñez (1492?-1559?)." American Eras. Vol. 1: Early American Civilizations and Exploration to 1600. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 50-51. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 Decembe ...
passed near the Big Bend and was followed by other expeditions. Some of these expeditions were searching for gold and silver, or farm and ranch land. Others, such as those by the
Franciscan
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
, image_size = 200px
, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
, predecessor =
, ...
missionaries, were intended to establish centers in which the natives could be
evangelized. In an attempt to protect the northern frontier of the
New Spain, from which emerged present-day Mexico, a line of ''presidios'', or
fort
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
s, was established along the Rio Grande in the late 18th century. The Presidio de San Vicente was built near present-day
San Vicente,
Coahuila, and the Presidio de San Carlos was built near present-day
Manuel Benavides,
Chihuahua. Some of the presidios were soon abandoned, because of financial difficulties and because they could not effectively stop Indian intrusions into Mexico. The soldiers and settlers of these presidios moved to newer presidios where the interests of the
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...
were more defensible. Such was the case of Santa Rosa Maria del Sacramento, now Muzquiz, Coahuila.
Very little study has been made of the Spanish occupation of the Big Bend following the abandonment of the presidios. In 1805, a Spanish settlement called Altares existed south of the Rio Grande. The region became a part of Mexico when it achieved its independence from Spain in 1821. Mexican families lived in the area when English-speaking settlers began arriving following the secession of Texas during the latter half of the 19th century.
Following the end of the
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
in 1848, the U.S. Army made military
surveys of the uncharted land of the Big Bend. Forts and outposts were established across Trans-Pecos Texas to protect migrating settlers from Indian attacks. A significant proportion of the soldiers in the late 1800s were
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
and came to be called the "
buffalo soldiers
Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This nickname was given to the Black Cavalry by Native American tribes who fought in t ...
", a name that was apparently given to them by the Native Americans.
Lieutenant Henry Flipper, the first American of African ancestry to graduate from
West Point
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...
, served in
Shafter, Texas
Shafter is a ghost town in Presidio County, Texas. The Texas Attorney General's Office gives a population of 11 as of the 2000 Census. It was named in honor of General William R. Shafter, who at one point commanded the nearby (relatively speakin ...
, near the end of the 19th century. (Shafter, named for General
William R. Shafter
William Rufus Shafter (October 16, 1835 – November 12, 1906) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War who received America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Fair Oaks & Darbyto ...
, lies west of the Big Bend along the highway from
Presidio
A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th and 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Spanish Philippines in particular, were cen ...
to
Marfa Marfa may refer to:
Music
* Marfa (instrument), an African percussion instrument
* Marfa (music), celebratory music of the Hyderabadi Muslims Places
* Márfa, a village in Baranya county, Hungary
* Marfa, Chad
* Marfa, Texas, a city in the hi ...
.) Ranchers began to settle in the Big Bend about 1880, and by 1900, sheep, goat, and cattle ranches occupied most of the area. The delicate desert environment was soon
overgrazed.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, valuable
mineral
In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. (2 ...
deposits were discovered and brought by settlers who worked in the mines or supported the mines by farming or by cutting
timber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, w ...
for the mines and
smelters. Communities sprang up around the mines.
Boquillas and
Terlingua
Terlingua ( ) is a mining district and census-designated place (CDP) in southwestern Brewster County, Texas, United States. It is located near the Rio Grande and the villages of Lajitas and Study Butte, Texas, as well as the Mexican state ...
both resulted from mining operations. During this period, the Rio Grande flood plain was settled by farmers. Settlements developed with names like Terlingua Abajo, San Vicente, La Coyota, and Castolon. Often, no more than clusters of families were living and farming in the same area, and they were successful only to the degree that the land was able to support them.
In May 1916, a
raid on Glenn Springs received national attention, motivating President Wilson to issued orders for the mobilization of the Texas National Guard to aid federal forces along the border. A permanent cavalry camp was established at Glenn Springs in 1916 and remained until 1920, when the border situation improved.
Establishing a park
In the 1930s, many people who loved the Big Bend country saw that it was a land of unique contrast and beauty that was worth preserving for future generations. In 1933, the
Texas Legislature
The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the US state of Texas. It is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin. It is a powerful ar ...
passed legislation to establish Texas Canyons State Park. Later that year, the park was redesignated Big Bend State Park. In 1935, the
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...
passed legislation that would enable the acquisition of the land for a national park. The State of Texas deeded the land that it had acquired to the
federal government, and on June 12, 1944, Big Bend National Park became a reality. The park opened to visitors on July 1, 1944.
Geology
The oldest recorded
tectonic
Tectonics (; ) are the processes that control the structure and properties of the Earth's crust and its evolution through time. These include the processes of mountain building, the growth and behavior of the strong, old cores of continents ...
activity in the park is related to the
Paleozoic
The Paleozoic (or Palaeozoic) Era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic Eon.
The name ''Paleozoic'' ( ;) was coined by the British geologist Adam Sedgwick in 1838
by combining the Greek words ''palaiós'' (, "old") and ' ...
Marathon orogeny, although
Proterozoic events (over 550
Mya) possibly have some deep control. The Marathon orogeny (part of the
Ouachita-Marathon-Sonora orogenic belt) is part of
thrusting
Thrust is a reaction force described quantitatively by Newton's third law. When a system expels or accelerates mass in one direction, the accelerated mass will cause a force of equal magnitude but opposite direction to be applied to that sys ...
of rocks from the
South American Plate over the
North American Plate
The North American Plate is a tectonic plate covering most of North America, Cuba, the Bahamas, extreme northeastern Asia, and parts of Iceland and the Azores. With an area of , it is the Earth's second largest tectonic plate, behind the Pacif ...
. This can be best seen in the Persimmon Gap area of the park. This orogenic event is linked to the lack of
Triassic
The Triassic ( ) is a geologic period and system (stratigraphy), system which spans 50.6 million years from the end of the Permian Period 251.902 million years ago (Year#Abbreviations yr and ya, Mya), to the beginning of the Jurassic Period 201.36 ...
- and
Jurassic
The Jurassic ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of ...
-age rocks in the park.
Between the Triassic and the
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of ...
, the South American Plate
rifted from the North American Plate, resulting in the deposition of the
Glen Rose Limestone,
Del Carmen Limestone,
Sue Peaks Formation,
Santa Elena Limestone,
Del Rio Clay
The Del Rio Clay is a geologic formation in Texas. It preserves fossils dating back to the Cretaceous period.
A stratigraphic column at the Mount Bonnell location starts with the Lower Cretaceous Trinity Group overlain by the Edwards Group an ...
,
Buda Limestone
The Buda Limestone is a geological formation in the High Plains and Trans-Pecos regions of West Texas and in southern New Mexico, whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous. Pterosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered fro ...
, and
Boquillas formations (preserved in the Sierra del Carmen–Santiago Mountains, Nine Point Mesa, Mariscal Mountain, and Mesa de Anguila areas). Also during this time, the Chihuahua trough formed as the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United ...
opened, which resulted in east–west
striking normal faulting.
As a result of this depositional time,
dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is t ...
,
forest
and other fossils are preserved in the park.
Following the ending of rifting in the Late Cretaceous to the early
Cenozoic, the Big Bend area was subjected to the
Laramide orogeny
The Laramide orogeny was a time period of mountain building in western North America, which started in the Late Cretaceous, 70 to 80 million years ago, and ended 35 to 55 million years ago. The exact duration and ages of beginning and end of the ...
. This period of (now east–west) compression caused the northeast-facing Mesa de Anguila (an uplifted
monocline on the park's southwest margin), the southwest-facing Sierra del Carmen–Santiago Mountains (an uplifted and
thrust-faulted monocline that forms the park's boundary on the east) and the
Tornillo Basin Tornillo can mean:
* Tornillo, Texas
* Tornillo tent city
* ''Tornillo'' (album), a 2022 album by Whiskey Myers
* ''Tornillo'', an album by Glen Phillips
* tornillo event, a low-frequency volcanic seismic event
* Any of several species of trees ...
. During the middle Cenozoic, most of the
volcanic rock
Volcanic rock (often shortened to volcanics in scientific contexts) is a rock formed from lava erupted from a volcano. In other words, it differs from other igneous rock by being of volcanic origin. Like all rock types, the concept of volcanic ...
s, including the
Chisos Group, the
Pine Canyon caldera complex, and the
Burro Mesa Formation, formed.
The most recent tectonic activity in the park is
basin and range
Basin and range topography is characterized by alternating parallel mountain ranges and valleys. It is a result of crustal extension due to mantle upwelling, gravitational collapse, crustal thickening, or relaxation of confining stresses. The e ...
faulting from the
Neogene to
Quaternary. This period of east–west extension has resulted in Estufa and Dehalo bolsons in the Chisos Mountains, as well as the Terlingua and Sierra del Carmen, Chalk Draw, and Burro Mesa Faults. The Rio Grande has entered the Big Bend area roughly 2 million years ago, and since then, extensive
erosion
Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is dis ...
and downcutting have occurred.
Cultural resources
Cultural resources in the park range from the
Paleo-Indian period 10,500 years ago through the historic period represented by
Native American groups, such as the Chisos,
Mescalero
Mescalero or Mescalero Apache ( apm, Naa'dahéńdé) is an Apache tribe of Southern Athabaskan–speaking Native Americans. The tribe is federally recognized as the Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Apache Reservation, located in south-cen ...
s, and
Comanche. More recently, Spanish, Mexican, Anglo, and Irish settlers
farm
A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used ...
ed,
ranch
A ranch (from es, rancho/Mexican Spanish) is an area of land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle and sheep. It is a subtype of a farm. These terms are most ofte ...
ed, and
mined in the area.
Throughout the prehistoric period, humans found shelter and maintained open campsites throughout the park. The archeological record reveals an
Archaic-period desert culture, whose inhabitants developed a nomadic hunting and gathering lifestyle that remained virtually unchanged for several thousand years.
The historic cultural landscape centers upon various subsistence or commercial land use. The riparian and tributary environments were used for subsistence and irrigation farming. Transportation networks, irrigation structures, simple domestic residences and outbuildings, and planed and terraced farmland lining the stream banks characterize these landscapes.
Flora and fauna
Despite its harsh desert environment, Big Bend has more than 1,200 species of plants (including 60 cactus species), over 600 species of vertebrates, and about 3,600 insect species. The variety of life is largely due to the diverse ecology and changes in elevation between the dry, hot desert, the cool mountains, and the fertile river valley.
Plants
![Cactus Vista](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Cactus_Vista.jpg)
The variety of cactus and other plant life add color to the Big Bend region. Cactus in the park include prickly pear (''
Opuntia'' spp.), claretcup (''
Echinocereus coccineus''), and
pitaya
A pitaya () or pitahaya () is the fruit of several different cactus species indigenous to the Americas. Pitaya usually refers to fruit of the genus '' Stenocereus'', while pitahaya or dragon fruit refers to fruit of the genus '' Selenicereus' ...
(''
E. enneacanthus''). In the spring, the wildflowers are in full bloom and the
yucca
''Yucca'' is a genus of perennial plant, perennial shrubs and trees in the family (biology), family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40–50 species are notable for their Rosette (botany), rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped Leaf, ...
flowers display bright colors.
Bluebonnets (''Lupinus'' spp.) are prevalent in Big Bend, and white and pink bluebonnets are sometimes visible by the road. Other flowering plants such as the desert marigold (''
Baileya multiradiata
''Baileya multiradiata'' is a North American species of sun-loving wildflowers native to the deserts of northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States. It has been found in the States of Sonora, Chihuahua (state), Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango ...
''), desert willow (''
Chilopsis linearis
''Chilopsis'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants containing the single species ''Chilopsis linearis''. It is known commonly as desert willow ''), ocotillo (''
Fouquieria splendens
''Fouquieria splendens'' (commonly known as ocotillo (), but also referred to as buggywhip, coachwhip, candlewood, slimwood, desert coral, Jacob's staff, Jacob cactus, and vine cactus) is a plant indigenous to the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahua ...
''), rock nettle (''
Eucnide urens
''Eucnide urens'', also known as desert rock nettle or desert stingbush, is a shrub which is native to desert areas in California, Arizona, Utah and Baja California. Other common names are velcro plant and vegetable velcro.
The flowers, which ...
''), and lechuguilla (''
Agave lechuguilla
''Agave lechuguilla'' (common name in Chihuahua: ''lechuguilla'', meaning "small lettuce") is an ''Agave'' species found only in the Chihuahuan Desert. The plant flowers once in its life and then dies.
Description
The plant reproduces most ...
'') abound in Big Bend.
Of particular importance to the region was the candelilla plant (''
Euphorbia antisyphilitica''). This was used to create
candelilla wax
Candelilla wax is a wax derived from the leaves of the small Candelilla shrub native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, '' Euphorbia antisyphilitica'', from the family ''Euphorbiaceae''. It is yellowish-brown, hard, brittle, a ...
, and was the motivation for wax camps within the area of Big Bend National Park such as
Glenn Springs, Texas
Glenn Springs is an uninhabited place in the state of Texas, United States, which is of historical importance. The Glenn Springs area was a natural spring providing water for Apache and Kiowa routing the Grand Indian Crossing passage at Boquillas ...
.
Animals
![Javelina_and_young](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Javelina_and_young.jpg)
Most of the animals are not visible in the day, particularly in the desert. The park comes alive at night, with many of the animals foraging for food. About 150
cougar (''Puma concolor'') sightings are reported per year, despite the fact that only two dozen cougars live in the park. Other species that inhabit the park include
coyote (''Canis latrans''),
kangaroo rat
Kangaroo rats, small mostly nocturnal rodents of genus ''Dipodomys'', are native to arid areas of western North America. The common name derives from their bipedal form. They hop in a manner similar to the much larger kangaroo, but developed t ...
(''Dipodomys'' spp.),
greater roadrunner
The greater roadrunner (''Geococcyx californianus'') is a long-legged bird in the cuckoo family, Cuculidae, from the Aridoamerica region in the Southwestern United States and Mexico. The scientific name means "Californian earth-cuckoo". Along w ...
(''Geococcyx californianus''),
golden eagle
The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known birds of ...
(''Aquila chrysaetos''),
gray fox
The gray fox (''Urocyon cinereoargenteus''), or grey fox, is an omnivorous mammal of the family Canidae, widespread throughout North America and Central America. This species and its only congener, the diminutive island fox (''Urocyon littor ...
(''Urocyon cinereoargenteus''),
collared peccary
The collared peccary (''Dicotyles tajacu'') is a species of artiodactyl (even-toed) mammal in the family Tayassuidae found in North, Central, and South America. It is the only member of the genus ''Dicotyles''. They are commonly referred to as ...
(''Dicotyles tajacu''), and
black-tailed jackrabbit
The black-tailed jackrabbit (''Lepus californicus''), also known as the American desert hare, is a common hare of the western United States and Mexico, where it is found at elevations from sea level up to . Reaching a length around , and a ...
(''Lepus californicus'').
Mexican black bears (''Ursus americanus eremicus'') are also present in the mountain areas.
Plans to reintroduce the
Mexican wolf
The Mexican wolf (''Canis lupus baileyi''), also known as the lobo,; nah, Cuetlāchcoyōtl is a subspecies of gray wolf native to southeastern Arizona and southern New Mexico in the United States, and northern Mexico; it also previously rang ...
(''Canis lupus baileyi'') to Big Bend National Park were rejected in the late 1980s by the state of Texas. Disagreement over the reintroduction included the question of whether the park contained enough prey animals, such as deer and javelinas, to sustain a wolf population.
Birds
![Colima_Warbler,_Big_Bend_National_Park,_Texas_1_(cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Colima_Warbler%2C_Big_Bend_National_Park%2C_Texas_1_%28cropped%29.jpg)
More than 450 species of birds have been recorded at Big Bend NP.
Eight basic land-cover types occur at the park. In order of predominance, they are desert shrubland, igneous grassland, limestone grassland, riparian vegetation, montane woodland, bare ground, developed areas, and surface water.
Birders flock to the park, as it is home to the only area in the United States within the breeding range of the
Colima warbler (''Leiothlypis crissalis''). The colima warbler arrives in the Chisos Mountains in mid-April to summer in the high canyons of the mountains. By mid-September, it returns to its wintering grounds in southwestern Mexico. The species is a ground nester and prefers the oak-maple habitat found in Boot Canyon and similar high, cool areas from Laguna Meadow to Boot Canyon and the South Rim.
The first U.S. record of the
northern tufted flycatcher (''Mitrephanes phaeocercus''), a
Central America
Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...
n species, was from this site in November 1991.
Hot springs
![Big Bend National Park, Texas 128](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Big_Bend_National_Park%2C_Texas_128.JPG)
There are several hot springs in the park, including the springs in the Hot Springs Historic District. The main hot spring is simply called
Hot Springs; it is also known as Bocadillas hot springs and Langford hot springs. Hot Springs is on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
.
The hot springs were the first major tourist attraction in the Big Bend area, before the national park was established. In 1909, J.O. Langford began developing the springs. There was a small stone soaking tub of local stone from the time before Langford's development was excavated at the site. A
dugout shelter existed at the site that was renovated by the Langford family as a residence. The Langfords then constructed an
adobe house, a stone
bathhouse
Public baths originated when most people in population centers did not have access to private bathing facilities. Though termed "public", they have often been restricted according to gender, religious affiliation, personal membership, and other cr ...
, and bathing shelters made of brushwood. Later in 1927 they rebuilt the bathhouse, and built a store and a motor court with seven attached cabins.
Tourism
![Balanced Rock in Big bend](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Balanced_Rock_in_Big_bend.jpg)
Big Bend is one of the largest, most remote, and one of the least-visited national parks in the
contiguous United States. In the 10-year period from 2009 to 2019, an average of 377,154 visitors entered the park annually.
Big Bend's primary attraction is its
hiking
Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...
and
backpacking
Backpacking may refer to:
* Backpacking (travel), low-cost, independent, international travel
* Backpacking (hiking), trekking and camping overnight in the wilderness
* Ultralight backpacking, a style of wilderness backpacking with an emphasis on ...
trails. Particularly notable among these are the Chimneys Trail, which visits a rock formation in the desert; the Marufo Vega trail, a loop trail that passes through scenic canyons on the way to and from the Rio Grande; the South Rim trail which circles the high mountains of the Chisos; and the Outer Mountain Loop trail in the Chisos, which incorporates parts of the South Rim loop, descends into the desert along the Dodson Trail, and then returns to the Chisos Basin, completing a 30-mile loop. Other notable locations include
Santa Elena Canyon
Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnight ...
, Grapevine Hills, and the Mule Ears, two imposing rock towers in the middle of the desert. Professional backpacking guide services provide trips in the park.
The park administers of the Rio Grande for recreational use. Professional river
outfitters provide tours of the river. Use of a personal boat is permitted, but a free river float permit is required. In June 2009, the Department of Homeland Security began treating all float trips as trips that had left the country and required participants to have an acceptable form of identification such as a passport to re-enter the country.
Visitors often cross the Rio Grande to visit the Mexican village of
Boquillas. The
Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terr ...
closed the border crossing in 2002 due to increased security following the
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
, but in April 2013, the Boquillas crossing reopened as an official Class B Port of Entry between the U.S. and Mexico. It is open Wednesday through Sunday between 9 am and 6 pm.
With more than 450 species of birds recorded in the park, a widely popular activity is
birdwatching
Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by ...
. Many species stop in the park during their annual
migrations.
Five paved roads are in Big Bend.
Persimmon Gap to
Panther Junction is a road from the north entrance of the park to park headquarters at Panther Junction. Panther Junction to Rio Grande Village is a road that descends from the park headquarters to the Rio Grande. Maverick Entrance Station to Panther Junction is a route from the western entrance of the park to the park headquarters. Chisos Basin Road is long and climbs to above sea level at Panther Pass before descending into the Chisos Basin. The Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive leads to the
Castolon Historic District and
Santa Elena Canyon
Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnight ...
.
International dark-sky park
In 2012, the park was designated an
international dark-sky park by the
International Dark-Sky Association. The association also recognized the park with its Gold Tier designation as "free from all but the most minor impacts of light pollution." Measurements made by the National Park Service show that Big Bend has the darkest skies in the
contiguous United States. Thousands of stars, bright planets, and the
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that includes our Solar System, with the name describing the galaxy's appearance from Earth: a hazy band of light seen in the night sky formed from stars that cannot be individually distinguished by the naked eye. ...
are visible on clear nights.
Education
San Vicente Independent School District
San Vicente Independent School District is a public school district in Brewster County, Texas (USA).
The district has one school – San Vicente Elementary – located on the grounds of Big Bend National Park. It serves students in grades kinderg ...
is based on the park grounds. San Vicente ISD's facility moved to the
Panther Junction area circa 1951 so children of park employees had a local school.
Much of the park is in San Vicente ISD while other parts are physically in
Terlingua Common School District. High school aged students from San Vicente ISD attend high school at
Big Bend High School
Big Bend High School is a public K-12 school located in unincorporated Brewster County, Texas (USA), adjacent to the Study Butte census-designated place, and with a Terlingua postal address. Originally a high school, it now serves as the only sch ...
of Terlingua CSD.
Prior to 1996
Alpine High School
Alpine High School is a public high school located in the city of Alpine, Texas (USA) and is classified as a 3A school by the UIL. It is a part of the Alpine Independent School District located in north-central Brewster County. In 2015, the schoo ...
of the
Alpine Independent School District
The Alpine Independent School District is a school district based in Alpine, Texas, United States. The district operates one high school, Alpine High School.
History
Prior to 1996 Alpine High School served as the high school for students from ...
served as the high school for students from Terlingua CSD,
and also for students of San Vicente ISD.
[ The high school opened in 1996.][ San Vicente began sending students to Big Bend High when it was established,]
See also
* List of national parks of the United States
* List of birds of Big Bend National Park
* Big Bend
* Big Bend Ranch State Park
Big Bend Ranch State Park is a state park located on the Rio Grande in Brewster and Presidio counties, Texas. It is the largest state park in Texas. The closest major town is Presidio, Texas, where the state park's head office is located.
* Chihuahuan Desert
The Chihuahuan Desert ( es, Desierto de Chihuahua, ) is a desert ecoregion designation covering parts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It occupies much of far West Texas, the middle to lower Rio Grande Valley and the lo ...
* Chisos Mountains
The Chisos Mountains, also known as the Chisos, are a mountain range located in the Big Bend area of the Trans-Pecos region of Texas, United States. The mountain system covers 40 square miles (104 square km) and is contained entirely within the ...
* Guadalupe Mountains
The Guadalupe Mountains ( es, Sierra de Guadalupe) are a mountain range located in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico. The range includes the highest summit in Texas, Guadalupe Peak, , and the "signature peak" of West Texas, El Capitan, both ...
* Marathon, Texas
Marathon () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Brewster County, Texas, United States. The population was 470 in 2007, after growing from 455 in 2000, but had decreased to 430 by 2010.
Marathon services tourists traveling to Big Bend National ...
* Mexico–United States international park
* McKittrick Canyon
McKittrick Canyon is a scenic canyon within the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas and Eddy County, New Mexico. The steep, towering walls of McKittrick Canyon protect a rich riparian oasis in the midst of the Chihuahuan Desert.
The majority of ...
* Pecos River
* Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River
The Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River is a U.S. National Wild and Scenic River that protects of the Rio Grande in New Mexico and Texas. The designation was first applied in 1968 to a stretch of the river in New Mexico; an additional of the river ...
* Terlingua, Texas
Terlingua ( ) is a mining district and census-designated place (CDP) in southwestern Brewster County, Texas, United States. It is located near the Rio Grande and the villages of Lajitas and Study Butte, Texas, as well as the Mexican state ...
* Trans-Pecos
The Trans-Pecos, as originally defined in 1887 by the Texas geologist Robert T. Hill, is the portion of Texas that lies west of the Pecos River. The term is considered synonymous with Far West Texas, a subdivision of West Texas. The Trans-Peco ...
* West Texas
West Texas is a loosely defined region in the U.S. state of Texas, generally encompassing the arid and semiarid lands west of a line drawn between the cities of Wichita Falls, Abilene, and Del Rio.
No consensus exists on the boundary betwee ...
References
Bibliography
* Gómez, Arthur R. (1990) ''A Most Singular Country: A History of Occupation in the Big Bend''. Charles Redd Center for Western Studies; Brigham Young University.
* Jameson, John R. (1996) ''The Story of Big Bend National Park''. University of Texas Press.
* Maxwell, Ross A. (1968) ''The Big Bend of the Rio Grande: A Guide to the Rocks, Landscape, Geologic History, and Settlers of the Area of Big Bend National Park''. Bureau of Economic Geology; University of Texas.
External links
* of th
National Park Service
(NPS)
- NPS ''Discover Our Shared Heritage'' travel itinerary
- NPS Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan
"Big Bend National Park"
- a 1940s promotional film for the park
a
Americansouthwest.net
{{Authority control
National parks in Texas
Archaeological sites in Texas
Protected areas of Brewster County, Texas
Rio Grande
Protected areas of the Chihuahuan Desert
Biosphere reserves of the United States
Protected areas established in 1944
1944 establishments in Texas