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The park is open 24 hours daily, all year. The Panther Junction Visitor Center is open daily, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., but may be closed on Christmas Day. The entrance stations and other visitor centers have variable seasons and hours. The park is relatively uncrowded much of the year. Visitation is highest in March and April. The park is extremely crowded during spring break, which is usually the second and third week in March. Easter weekend, Thanksgiving weekend, and the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day are also very busy. All lodging and campsites are usually full during these periods. Visitation is lowest in August and September.

The park plan was initiated in 1933, when Big Bend was designated a state park; the US Congress authorized the National park in 1935; the park was officially established on June 12, 1944. The “biosphere” is that veneer of our Earth’s crust, waters and atmosphere that supports life. It reaches from the deepest ocean floor 12 miles upward to the tops of the highest mountains and contains 193 distinct biogeographical zones or ecosystems. One of these is the vast Chihuahuan Desert of northern Mexico, southern Texas, and New Mexico. It is a biogeographical zone rich in geologic history and natural life forms. It is also an area exposed to a multitude of issues impacting its resources and people. Within its boundaries there are three special “biosphere reserves,” Big Bend, Jornada, and Mapimi, where answers to these pressures are being sought.

The Chihuahuan Desert Biogeographical Zone contains one multi-site Biosphere Reserve. Big Bend National Park in Texas and the Agricultural Research Service’s La Jornada Experimental Range in New Mexico were designated by UNESCO in 1976. Mapimi, nominated in 1977, is located in the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Durango and is administered by Mexico’s Institute of Ecology. The activities in each Biosphere Reserve are complimentary so together; Big Bend, Jornada, and Mapimi form a “regional” reserve in the true sense of the MAB model. Big Bend serves as a “core area” would in a singular Biosphere Reserve: all of the natural and cultural resources are fully protected for the future by mandates of the National Park Service. As the conservation core area, Big Bend provides baseline information from inventory and monitoring. This data can then be used to assess the effects of human activities. Big Bend remains one of the most pristine samples of America’s Chihuahuan Desert.

The field research area at Jornada serves as the Chihuahuan Desert Biosphere Reserve’s “buffer zone”. Work focuses on long-term experimental research and field application, primarily for agricultural use. The goal is to develop technologies that meet human needs and achieve sustainable natural communities. This type of manipulation cannot be conducted in the core area.

Mapimi serves as the “transition area” for the Chihuahuan Desert Biosphere Reserve but also includes its own core and buffer zones and is managed cooperatively by scientists, policy makers, landowners, and ejidatarios. Mapimi involves local residents in agriculture conservation, incorporates regional socio-economic problems into the reserve’s research, and employs a general land use plan for the entire area. Involving local residents in research, environmental education, and sustained uses is called the “Mexican modality” for Biosphere Reserves for which Mapimi is the prototype. The Mapimi program more comprehensively integrates Biosphere Reserve functions than the U. S. reserves.

The Big Bend has been a home to people for many centuries, but knowledge of the Rio Grande among non-Indians dates back less than 150 years. Spanish people crossed the Rio Grande in the 16th and 17th centuries searching for gold, silver, and fertile land. Comanche Indians crossed the river in the 19th century, traveling to and from Mexico with their raiding parties. Mexican settlers began farming on both banks of the river’s floodplain around 1900. Anglo-Americans joined in the farming after 1920, when boundary unrest ended. Cotton and food crops were grown around Castolon and what is now Rio Grande Village even after the park was established. From archeological sites dating back nearly 10,000 years, to ranches and mining operations from the early 1900s, Big Bend can be a great place to “discover” history. Only two prehistoric archeological sites are presently considered “public”–the Hot Springs pictograph site and the Chimneys. As research is completed on other archeological sites, they may be opened to the public, also. There are six National Register historic sites or districts in the park. They are Castolon Historic District, Hot Springs Historic Site, the Mariscal Mining District, the Homer Wilson Ranch Site, Rancho Estelle, and Luna’s Jacal.

Thousands of archeological sites within the park hold remnants of the material remains of 10,000 years of Native American occupation of the Big Bend. When properly studied, these sites can provide very valuable information about past cultures. Man has survived in the Big Bend region for more than 10,000 years by hunting and gathering. In fact, gathering plants accounted for up to 90 percent of their supplies. Native cultures of this area knew each plant and its various uses. The people traveled around the area based on harvest times of the resources. These nomadic people had to travel constantly to survive. They freely roamed the Big Bend in a seasonal cycle to glean their subsistence. The route was systematic and predictable, following resources as they developed and were ready to harvest. This region was a vast territory, rich in variety, with great ranges in topography and climate. The Chisos Mountain range was a special resource. It represented a haven from the desert lowlands and was an excellent source of food. In good years, the people would try to harvest everything in sight as it ripened. In bad years, they were busier than ever trying not to miss whatever was available.

As the native people traveled about harvesting supplies, they kept their possessions at a minimum. What they did carry with them had to be lightweight and durable. Generally, they packed all their possessions into a series of stacked baskets that were placed into a larger one. The largest basket was moved via a broad tumpline placed across the forehead. Most native cultures of the Big Bend region were talented basket weavers. Baskets were woven from willow (Salix sp.), sumac (Rhus sp.), Yucca, rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus sp.), Nolina, sotol (Dasylirion sp.), lechuguilla (Agave lechugilla), and the century plant (Agave harvardiana). Baskets were used to gather food in, prepare food in, cook food in, and store the excess. They also worked well for carrying other supplies.

Native people spent the winter in the desert living on supplies gathered the rest of the year. As spring arrived, they would slowly move up the mountains or northward gathering supplies. Spring was a time to gather greens, bulbs, roots, and young tender plant shoots. Greens or potherbs were often prepared like spinach or eaten like a tossed salad. Young shoots of plants were also gathered and eaten, usually after boiling. Young shoots from thistles (Cirsium), pinon pine (Pinus monophylla), rabbitbrush, cattails (Typha sp.), prickly pear (Opuntia) were all eaten. Bulbs such as wild onions (Allium sp.) were also important.

Roots were also gathered, and like bulbs, the Natives were careful to leave some behind to ensure future harvests. The hearts of the sotol and century plant were important food sources and were harvested in early summer. A pit was dug, lined with rocks and a fire was kept going inside the pit to heat the rocks. The plants were dug up, leaves were chopped off, and the remaining bulbs were thrown into the rock-lined pit. The bulbs were then covered with more rocks, dirt, and grass and allowed to cook for a couple days. After cooking, the top layers were removed and the bulbs retrieved. Bulbs were then often pounded into sheets on rocks, allowed to dry, and then used as an important winter food source.

In early summer, petals and whole flowers were eaten from thistles (artichokes are thistle flowers) yuccas, dandelions and paintbrush (Castelleja). Summertime was also spent gathering fruit from such plants as mesquite (Prosopsis sp.), sumac, juniper (Juniperus), elderberry (Sambucus sp.), chilipequin (Capsicum annuum), persimmon (Diospyros texana), prickly pear cactus, and other cacti. The fruits were eaten raw, but also prepared in beverages and preserved in large quantities for winter use. The fruit would be mashed and spread out in layers in the sun and dried. Dried fruit would then be broken up on a metate and stored or boiled with meat and fat to make pemmican. Pemmican would last for months without spoiling.

Late summer and early fall was the time for gathering seeds and nuts. Fall was the most important season for the native cultures. The food-gathering activities of the fall would determine how well they survived the long, cold winter. Pinon pine nuts (Pinus cembroides), acorns from the oaks (Quercus sp.), and walnuts (Juglans sp.) were gathered each fall and preserved for winter. Many plants like Mormon tea (Ephedra), sotol, saltbush (Atriplex), prickly pear cactus, and mustards, in addition to grasses, provided edible seeds. Grasses and other seeds provided high yields, were nutritious, and widely distributed. Seeds were often mixed to produce pinole or meal. Meal is a coarsely ground flour. Grinding the grain on a flat rock or metate with a hand-held stone or mano typically produced pinole. Mixing the meal with water and cooking it would make mush.

Later Native Americans in the Big Bend such as the Jumanos and Apaches relied on agriculture for a small portion of their subsistence. Since the tribes were nomadic, they would typically plant seeds such as squash, corn, beans, melons, and sunflowers where water was plentiful. Fields were deserted for weeks, with people returning only to weed, irrigate, and harvest crops. Sometimes the elderly or older children were left to watch and tend the fields. The people hoped something would survive to be harvested in the fall.

Food supplies were not the only things gathered throughout the year. Many plants provided fiber for clothing, mats, ropes, sandals, etc. yucca, juniper, nolina, sotol, and the agaves, were some of the common plants utilized in the Big Bend region. These same plants also provided tinder for fires.

That portion of the earth’s surface known as the Big Bend has often been described as a geologist’s paradise. In part this is due to the sparse vegetation of the region, which allows the various strata to be easily observed and studied. It is also due to the complex geologic history of the area, presenting a challenge to students and researchers from all over the world.

From an elevation of less than 2,000 feet along the Rio Grande to nearly 8,000 feet in the Chisos Mountains, Big Bend includes massive canyons, vast desert expanses, and the entire Chisos Mountain range. Because they receive more precipitation than the rest of the park, the Chisos are often referred to as a temperate island in a desert sea. The scenery varies widely ranging from the Rio Grande floodplain to arid badlands to sotol grasslands to rugged volcanic peaks.

Not all field geologists, however, refer to the Big Bend as a paradise. For some, this land of twisted, tortured rock is a nightmare. The abundance, diversity and complexity of visible rock outcrops is staggering, especially to first-time observers. From 500 million year old rocks at Persimmon Gap to modern-day windblown sand dunes at Boquillas Canyon, geologic formations in Big Bend demonstrate amazingly diverse depositional styles over a vast interval of time. For most of us, time is measured by the passing of days, years and generations.

For a period of at least 200 million years, ending some 300 million years ago in the Paleozoic Era, a deep-ocean trough extended from present-day Arkansas and Oklahoma into the Big Bend region of far West Texas. Sediments from highlands to the north accumulated in that trough to form layers of gravel, sand and clay. With the passing of time, these layers became sandstone and shale beds. About 300 million years ago these strata were “squeezed” upward by collision with a continent to the south to form the ancestral Ouachita Mountains. Subsequent erosion over an interval of 160 million years left only the roots of those mountains visible. These remnants may be observed today in the Ouachita Mountains of southeastern Oklahoma, in the immediate vicinity of Marathon, Texas, and in Big Bend National Park near Persimmon Gap.

A warm, shallow sea invaded the Big Bend during the Cretaceous Period, some 135 million years ago, providing the setting for deposition of lime mud and the remains of sea-dwelling organisms such as clams and snails. Limestone layers formed from those shallow muds are now visible throughout much of the Big Bend. They comprise the dramatic walls of Santa Elena, Mariscal and Boquillas canyons, the entire range of the Sierra del Caballo Muerto (Dead Horse Mountains) and the magnificent cliffs of the Sierra del Carmen in Coahuila, Mexico, towering above Rio Grande Village. Approximately 100 million years ago the shallow Cretaceous sea began a gradual retreat to its present location, the Gulf of Mexico. Sandstone and clay sediments that formed along the retreating shoreline are found in lowlands surrounding the Chisos Mountains. Shallow water strata of this episode contain the fossil remains of oysters, giant clams, ammonites, and a variety of fishes and marine reptiles. Near-shore deposits in Big Bend have yielded petrified wood, fossil turtles and crocodiles–one almost 50 feet long! Deposits from further inland contain fossil remains of a variety of dinosaurs. Perhaps the most famous of Big Bend’s fossil treasures from this period is the giant flying reptile, Quetzalcoatlus northropi, with a wingspan over 35 feet. (A replica of the bones of one wing is now on exhibit at the Panther Junction Visitor Center.)

Near the end of the Cretaceous Period, a west-to-east compression of the earth’s crust marked the beginning of the second major mountain-building period in Big Bend. This compression, which began in Canada, moved gradually southward, uplifting and folding ancient sediments to form the Rocky Mountains. In Big Bend National Park, Mariscal Mountain represents the southernmost extension of the Rockies in the United States. Broad uplift punctuated by upward folding exposed both the erosion-resistant lower Cretaceous limestones and the less resistant overlying sandstones and clays to the onslaught of erosion. Limestone cliffs throughout the region continue to be eroded today; most of the more easily removed sandstone and clay is gone from the mountains.

For almost 10 million years after uplift ended, non-marine sediments of the Tertiary period constitute the only record of events in the Big Bend. Dinosaurs had long been gone from the land, their places taken by a proliferation of mammals, many of whose remains have been found in Big Bend…horses, rhinos, camels and rodents, as well as fossils of the plants on which they thrived. All was not to remain quiet for long. Near the present northwest boundary of Big Bend National Park, the first of a long series of volcanic eruptions occurred approximately 42 million years ago. Upwelling magma lifted the mass now known as the Christmas Mountains, fracturing and weakening overlying strata, allowing massive outpourings of lava to spread across the land. The oldest volcanic rocks in Big Bend owe their origins to this eruptive cycle. Between roughly 38 and 32 million years ago Big Bend itself hosted a series of volcanic eruptions. Initial activity in this cycle centered in the Sierra Quemada, below the present South Rim of the Chisos Mountains. Subsequent volcanic activity at Pine Canyon, Burro Mesa, near Castolon and elsewhere in the park is responsible for the brightly colored volcanic ash and lava layers of the lower elevations and for most of the mass of the Chisos Mountains.

Volcanic activity was not continuous during these eruptive cycles. Periods of hundreds of thousands or perhaps millions of years passed between eruptions. During the quiet interludes the forces of erosion carved new landscapes, many of which were destined to be buried under layers of ash and lava from later eruptions. Life returned to the land only to be displaced by future eruptions. Elsewhere in the Big Bend rising magma sometimes failed to reach the surface. Instead, it spread within existing layers of rock, uplifting and fracturing overlying strata. Once the magma cooled and crystallized it formed solid masses of erosion-resistant intrusive igneous rock which have now been exposed by erosion of the overlying material. Maverick Mountain, the Grapevine Hills, Nugent Mountain and Pulliam Ridge are among many examples in Big Bend of such “frozen” magma chambers.

Beginning some 26 million years ago, stresses generated along the West coast of North America resulted in stretching of the earth’s crust as far east as Big Bend. As a result of these tensional forces fracture zones developed which, over time, allowed large bodies of rock to slide downward along active faults. The central mass of Big Bend National Park, including the Chisos Mountains, from the Sierra del Carmen to the east to the Mesa de Anguila to the west comprises such a block of rocks dropped downward by faulting. Direct evidence of this faulting is readily observed at the tunnel near Rio Grande Village. There the limestone layer through which the tunnel passes is the same layer that forms the skyline of the Sierra del Carmen to the east, dropped down over 4800 feet by faulting. To the west, at the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon the highest elevation rises 1500 feet above the river, while at the parking area the same layer lies some 1500 feet below the surface. Displacement along these faults did not occur in a single event, rather in a series of lesser episodes of faulting punctuated by earthquakes. The 1995 magnitude 5.6 earthquake near Marathon, Texas, 70 miles north of Panther Junction indicates that the responsible stresses are still active. The western slopes of the Chisos Mountains provide evidence of additional activity within the same fracture zones. Near the old ranch on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive stand a number of parallel ridges to the east of the road. These ridges are the eroded remains of tabular intrusions of magma along the Burro Mesa fault. The layers of volcanic ash into which the magma intruded are being actively removed by erosion, leaving the more resistant “dikes” of intrusive rocks standing in bold relief.

Mountain building by compression, volcanism and tension all served to form the framework for today’s landscapes in Big Bend National Park. Erosion of higher lands resulted in the filling of surrounding basins. Eventually basins from El Paso to Big Bend were filled and subsequently linked by the Rio Grande. Achieving through-flow to the Gulf of Mexico only within the last 2 million years, the Rio Grande ranks as the youngest major river system in the United States. Once established, the Rio Grande served, and continues to serve, as the conduit for material removed by erosion. The processes of erosion comprise the most active aspect of Big Bend’s geology today.

Erosion in Big Bend is best defined by rapid runoff and flash-flooding following summer thunderstorms, but there are other active agents of erosion. Water droplets in the atmosphere capture carbon dioxide to form carbonic acid, a very weak naturally occurring acid which has virtually no effect on man. One mineral, however, is vulnerable to attack by carbonic acid: calcite, which comprises the bulk of all limestone in the Big Bend. Every drop of rain that falls on limestone dissolves a tiny bit of calcite which is transported away by runoff, perhaps to a final destination in the Gulf of Mexico.

The beautifully etched limestone cliffs in the Sierra del Caballo Muerto and in Big Bend’s canyons owe their origin to Mother Nature’s own version of acid rain! Rainwater also contains free oxygen which reacts with sulfur-bearing minerals in igneous rocks. Virtually all igneous rocks in Big Bend contain minor amounts of pyrite, or Fool’s Gold, which is iron sulfide. Oxygen-bearing water attacks individual pyrite grains, replacing the sulfur with oxygen to form iron oxide, better known as rust, which provides the warm red and brown colors of igneous rocks in the Big Bend.

Plant and animal activity is also vital in the shaping of the land. As plants grow their root systems expand, forcing rocks ever farther apart, until, eventually, rocks are dislodged and fall. The same roots also extract needed minerals from rocks, weakening the rocks and rendering them more vulnerable to removal by flowing water. Similarly, animals crossing a rocky slope often dislodge rocks, sending them crashing down slope to collide with yet other rocks, which, in turn are dislodged. Though plants and animals play significant roles in erosion, the key player remains water. From chemical weathering by water-borne carbonic acid and oxygen to mechanical removal of soft and broken rocks, to scouring ever deeper and wider the canyons of the Big Bend, water is today, as it has been in the past, the major tool in the shaping of the land.

Big Bend National Park is located at the northern end of the Chihuahuan desert. Since most of the Chihuahuan desert is located in Mexico, Big Bend represents the largest protected portion of the Chihuahuan desert in the United States. In Big Bend you will find the desert to be the largest ecosystem in the park. Typical animals found in the desert are javelinas, roadrunners, jackrabbits, millipedes, and mule deer. The most familiar desert plants in the Chihuahuan desert are lechuguilla, sotol, numerous species of cactus, mesquite, and yuccas.

The Chihuahuan desert is the wettest of the four North American deserts, though it rarely receives more than 10 inches of rainfall. The rainy season in the desert is usually from mid-July through late September. Though it is called the rainy season, there are places in this desert environment that may not receive a drop.

Big Bend is one of the true jewels for paleontological research in the world. Unique among U.S. National Parks, Big Bend exhibits dinosaur remains from the last 35 million years of the dinosaurs’ existence. Furthermore, the fossil record here continues uninterrupted from the Age of Reptiles into the Age of Mammals. Over 90 dinosaur species, nearly 100 plant species, and more than two dozen fish, frogs, salamanders, turtles, crocodiles, lizards, and even early mammals have been discovered here, giving us one of the most complete pictures of a prehistoric ecosystem known anywhere on earth.

The fossil record here spans a rich history of 35 million years within the Cretaceous Period. Beginning about 100 million years ago, when a huge sea covered what is today most of the Midwestern U.S., the first of the ruling reptiles appeared in Big Bend’s fossil record. The sea layers of limestone known as the Boquillas Formation (100-95 million years ago) preserve numerous marine fossils, including a 30-foot long sea-dwelling reptile known as Mosasaurus.

The most exciting finds have occurred in strata that chronicle Big Bend’s emergence from this sea. Nearly 70 dinosaur species have been discovered in the Aguja Formation (80-75 million years ago) where we find evidence of a humid and swampy land. At this time, Big Bend was closer to the equator, and this tropical coastal swamp had palms, ferns, and diverse dinosaur life, including duck-billed Hadrosaurs.

By 75-60 million years ago, plant fossils suggest that the sea had retreated and Big Bend had become a drier floodplain environment. The sediments from these times, the Javelina Formation, have yielded over 80 species of plants, including cypress, laurel, conifers, and mangroves. While these plant finds are remarkable in their own right, they are usually overshadowed by several unique and spectacular dinosaur finds. Over 20 dinosaur species have been found in the Javelina Formation, giving us a rich glimpse into the last days of the ruling reptiles. These were the giants who ruled the earth at the time of the great extinction. These finds, and the possibility of future discoveries, make these sediments worth their weight in gold for paleontologists.

An impressive exhibit in the Panther Junction Visitor Center at Big Bend National Park displays a life-size replica of the wing bones of an enormous pterosaur. The 18-foot long specimen was discovered here in Big Bend National Park and represents the second largest known flying creature ever to have existed. Its name is Quetzalcoatlus northropi.

In 1971, Douglas A. Lawson, a student at the University of Texas in Austin, was performing geological field work in the park for his master’s thesis when he discovered a fossil bone eroding out of an arroyo bank. His professor, Dr. Wann Langston Jr., determined that this long, hollow, very thin-walled bone could only be from a pterosaur wing. Subsequent excavations recovered more wing bones, but unfortunately the wing must have detached from the body before being buried and fossilized, because no body bones could be found. Lawson named his discovery Quetzalcoatlus after the Mexican deity Quetzalcoatl, who was worshipped by the Aztecs in the form of a feathered snake.

Dr. Langston continued to search for and study Big Bend fossils and eventually found other specimens of Quetzalcoatlus in another part of the park. Although these specimens were smaller than the original, they were more complete and had a very impressive wingspan of at least 18 feet. Comparison of these complete specimens with the huge bones of the original Quetzalcoatlus made it possible to calculate the body size of Lawson’s specimen. This enormous pterosaur had an estimated wingspan of 36-39 feet, making it the largest known flying creature of all time. It is not yet clear whether the smaller specimens were young individuals of the large species, or whether they represent a distinct, smaller species of Quetzalcoatlus.

In 1999, Dana Biasetti, a graduate student from the University of Texas at Dallas, discovered giant dinosaur bones protruding from a dry hillside in the Javelina Formation of Big Bend National Park. Upon careful excavation, this hillside yielded partial pelvic bones and ten articulated cervical vertebrae of an adult Alamosaurus. Alamosaurus belongs to the group of dinosaurs named Sauropods-large herbivores with extremely long necks and tails. The Big Bend Alamosaurus appears to have been a massive individual, measuring in at 100 feet in length and probably weighing over 50 tons.

Due to their extreme size and the remote location of the fossil site, excavation and removal of these giant bones by hand was nearly impossible. As a result, Big Bend National Park issued a special permit to the excavation team to remove the fossil by helicopter. In 2001, UT Dallas now teamed with the Dallas Museum of Natural History, made history with Big Bend’s first ever “dinosaur airlift.” Over the next several years, the fossil was cleaned, studied, and prepared for display.

The fossilized remains of gigantic crocodiles have been discovered in the Aguja Formation in the south-central part of the Big Bend National Park. These are among the largest crocodiles ever known.
With lengths of 40-50 feet and jaws studded with 6-inch teeth, these powerful predators were extraordinarily equipped to feed upon a variety of dinosaurs. In fact, dinosaur bones have been found here that are heavily damaged and covered with distinctive crocodile bite marks! Just like modern day crocodilians, Deinosuchus riograndensis probably hunted by ambush…lying submerged near shore, and violently seizing large dinosaurs as they foraged amid the vegetation of Big Bend’s ancient swamps.

Along a stretch beginning upstream of Rio Grande Village, a series of thermal springs emerge adjacent to the Rio Grande. All of the hot springs in this region are believed to be related to normal faults. These Basin and Range type faults formed between 18 and 23 million years ago. Today, groundwater circulating deep in the earth becomes heated before it returns to the surface as hot springs.

The most famous of the thermal features along the Big Bend of the Rio Grande is the Langford Hot Springs. It is located where Tornillo Creek enters the Rio Grande, some four miles upriver from Boquillas Canyon and the Mexican village of Boquillas. The natural springs at the site are known as Boquillas Hot Springs. Boquillas is Spanish for “little mouths” and refers to the many small streams or arroyos that drain this part of the Sierra del Carmen range and flow into the Rio Grande. Later, when the springs were promoted for their health benefits, the settlement and spa resort there was called Hot Springs, and a post office by that name was established at the site in July 1914. Although there are several other small hot springs in the area, these larger and more accessible springs are the best known.

The temperature of the spring water, which is heated geothermally, is 105°F year-round; the water contains calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, and lithium. The springs’ flow rate in 1936 was 250,000 gallons a day, but more recent measurements show a decrease.

The Rio Grande is the defining feature of the Big Bend. It is here that the river swings abruptly to the northeast after flowing south and southeast for nearly 1,000 miles. In the desert life clings to water, and it is along the Rio Grande and intermittent streams that wildlife is often found. Both humans and animals are attracted to and depend on the limited water of the Rio Grande.

Big Bend National Park marks the northern extension of the Chihuahuan Desert, the largest of North America’s four deserts. Although water sources dot the landscape and flash floods occur after heavy rains, the Rio Grande provides the park’s most prominent source of water.

The Rio Grande begins its journey to the Gulf of Mexico from springs and snow melt high in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Along its way to the sea, the Rio Grande travels almost 2,000 miles. As it flows southward, its waters are diverted for flood control, irrigation, power generation, municipal uses, and recreation.

By the time the Rio Grande leaves El Paso, so much water has been diverted that the riverbed between El Paso and Presidio often lies dry. Depending upon annual rainfall patterns, 69 to 86 percent of the water in the Rio Grande downstream from Presidio flows from the Mexican Rio Conchos, which originates in the Sierra Madre of western Chihuahua. The Rio Conchos joins the Rio Grande near Ojinaga, Chihuahua and Presidio, Texas.

For more than 1,000 miles the Rio Grande serves as the international boundary between Mexico and the United States; Big Bend National Park administers approximately one-quarter of that boundary. The Rio Grande also defines the park’s southern boundary for 118 twisting miles. It is within this stretch that the Rio Grande’s southeasterly flow changes abruptly to the northeast and forms the “big bend” of the Rio Grande.

In 1978, Congress designated a 196-mile portion of the Rio Grande as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Only the upper 69 miles of the Wild and Scenic River lie within the park’s boundary; the remaining 127 miles lie downstream of the park’s boundary. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act directs that designated rivers “…be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they…be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.”

Because the Rio Grande serves as an international boundary, the park’s jurisdiction extends only to the middle of the deepest river channel; the rest of the river lies within the Republic of Mexico. On the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River section downstream from the park’s boundary, the park administers only from the gradient boundary at the river’s edge on the United States’ side to the middle of the deepest channel. Providing protection and maintaining the pristine character of the Rio Grande along this stretch, the Wild and Scenic River designation actually begins at the Coahuila/Chihuahua, Mexico, state border upstream from Mariscal Canyon and continues downstream 196 miles to the Terrell/Val Verde County line in Texas; approximately 69 miles of this designation lie within Big Bend National Park. Both the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River and the river along the park’s boundary are managed for recreation and preservation by the National Park Service.

Big Bend National Park is a diverse area containing over 1,200 species of plants. Three cacti are threatened in the park. The cacti are at risk from poachers. The Chisos hedgehog cactus, Echinocereus chisoensis, grows below 2,400 feet in elevation. The three-inch flowers are tricolor and appear in the spring. The fruits are reddish and fleshy. The status of this species is not known. A three-year ecology and population study of the Chisos hedgehog began in 2000. Corypantha ramillosa, bunched cory cactus, is a tiny three-inch cactus with deep rose-purple flowers. It occurs in limestone hills near the river. The status of this species is also unknown. Lloyd’s mariposa cactus, Echinomastus mariposensis, is white-spined and produces white to pink flowers in the spring. It occurs on limestone slopes below 3,500’ in the eastern part of Big Bend. Its status is unknown. Park staff is monitoring known locations of these and the other cacti in order to learn more about their populations.

There are three agaves in Big Bend. Agave lechuguilla, commonly called lechuguilla, is the indicator plant of the Chihuahuan Desert. This means it is only found in the Chihuahuan Desert and nowhere else in the world! Agaves are a low growing evergreen plant with succulent leaves that form a bowl shape or basal rosette. Lechuguilla was a very important source of fiber for Native Americans and is still used today to make rope in Mexico. The roots of the plant are high in saponins, so they taste bitter but are a good source of soap. The lechuguilla blooms once after growing three to twenty years. Agave havardiana or the century plant is the largest agave in the park. It blooms once in its life after growing 20-50 years. Mexican long-nosed bats pollinate the bright yellow flowers. Once baked, the plant provided a source of food that could be dried and stored to help them to survive the long winter. The dried flower stalks served as building material. Century plants in Mexico provide the alcoholic beverages of pulque, mescal, and tequila. The third agave in Big Bend is actually a hybrid. Agave gracilipes is the plant that occurs when the century plant and lechuguilla cross breed. It looks like a large lechuguilla or a small century plant. It also provided fiber for the Native Americans.

Sotol, Dasylirion species, is composed of a cluster of numerous linear, flattened leaves that have hooked teeth along the margins of the leaf. The leaf bases are spoon-like. A tall flower stalk is produced each spring that has light colored, nondescript flowers clustered together. The fruit is three- winged and triangular. Twenty species occur in southwestern U.S. and Northern Mexico.
Sotol was an important source of materials for basket making. The young flower stalks were eaten, as were the seeds. The heart of the plant was cooked along with agave hearts in a stone-lined pit for several days and then eaten. The stalks were used to make temporary shelters, porches, roofs, corrals and walking sticks. When the sap is fermented it produces the alcoholic beverage also called sotol.

Nolina species has linear leaves that are long, numerous, and clustered. Margins of the leaves are finely toothed. The flower is short stemmed, with cream-colored flowers. The leaves were an important source of material for mats, sandals, and basket making. However, the plant was not eaten since it is poisonous and could cause liver and kidney damage. There are five species in the Trans-Pecos area and 30 species in the U.S. and Mexico.

There are nine species of oak in Big Bend National Park. These trees or shrubs have simple alternate leaves with margins that are smooth, lobed, or toothed. The fruit or acorn is one celled; one seeded, and sits in a cup that partially envelops the seed. Hybridization is common among oaks. The oaks of Big Bend National Park are relic species – left behind on the mountaintops from a cooler time. The acorns on most species are edible. They need to be soaked in water before eating to remove some of the bitter taste. The early settlers of this area commonly made a flour or meal from the leached acorns. Oaks produce a hard wood important for firewood, tools, and furniture making.

Prosopis glandulosa, or honey mesquite and Prosopis, pubescens, screwbean mesquite, are both found in Big Bend National Park. These shrubby trees are armed with straight, stout spines that are solitary or paired, and have deep, drought-defying roots. The fruit is a tough pod where the seeds are partitioned and embedded. The fruits were an important food source for the Native Americans. The developing pods are sweet raw or cooked. The seeds are also edible and could be ground into flour or meal. The meal could be mixed with water to make a lemony drink. The drink was also fermented. The sap or pitch, was used to waterproof baskets, make candy, and produce a black dye. The sap was mixed with mud and plastered on the head. Once dry, it was removed leaving the hair shiny, black, and lice-free. The inner bark and roots were a source of fiber for baskets. The hard wood was an important source of tools and weapons. Today mesquite is used in posts, carvings, tool handles, gunstocks, and for barbecues.

Pinus cembroides, or the Mexican pinon pine, is a small evergreen tree with needles in clusters of two to five. They produce a woody cone that matures in two years and produces an edible nut. Although the nut has a hard shell, it is very tasty and was prized by the Native Americans. The nut stored well for winter and was high in protein and calories. This tree was once more widespread in cooler times and is now considered a relic species. It provided pitch or sap for waterproofing baskets, chewing gum, and also was used medicinally to treat sore throats and remove splinters. A tea made from the needles is high in vitamin C.

Rose-fruited juniper, Juniperus erythrocarpa, is the shrubby juniper of the park. Typically growing no taller that five feet, the alligator juniper, Juniperus deppeana, has checkered or scaly bark and is taller and more tree-like than other junipers in the area. Drooping juniper, or Juniperus flaccida, is common in Mexico but only found in the U.S. in the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park. Its needles droop causing this small tree to appear like it always needs a drink of water. The bark of all three juniper species provided a source of fiber for sandals, mats, and baskets for early Native Americans. The cones are small and berry-like, and were used in seasoning meats and for beads in necklaces.

Yuccas are members of the lily family and bloom every year if there has been enough rainfall. The four yuccas of Big Bend National Park, Faxon yucca or giant dagger (Yucca faxoniana), beaked yucca (Yucca rostrata), soaptree yucca (Yucca elata) and Spanish dagger or torrey yucca (Yucca treculean), all have trunks that elevate the leaves above the ground. The trunk is often covered with dry, dead leaves. The leaves are long, fibrous, and spine-tipped. The cream-white flowers appear in late spring and produce a fleshy or dry fruit with black seeds. The flowers are pollinated primarily by the yucca moth. Native Americans ate the flower buds, petals, and young stalks. The fruits and seeds were also eaten. The fibrous leaves were used to make cloth, rope, mats, sandals, and baskets. The root provided soap and was used as a laxative.

There are sixteen species of Opuntia in the Trans-Pecos area of Texas. These species tend to hybridize, so it is often difficult to determine which prickly pear is which. There are two general varieties. The chollas have cylindrical stems and the prickly pears that have flattened stems. The cacti have spines instead of leaves to conserve water and carry out all food production through the stems of the plants. The spines are numerous and can be yellow, brown, pink, red, or black in color depending on the species. The flowers appear in April and are usually yellow (prickly pears) or pink (chollas). Fruits are usually maroon (prickly pears) or yellow (chollas) and some varieties are very juicy and sweet. The Native Americans ate these fruits, called tunas, and today we use them to make jellies and syrups. The young cactus pads or nopals were used as a potherb (like greens) or pickled. Their taste is typically described as a cross between green pepper and okra. The seeds were eaten in soups or ground up for flour. The pads were sometimes split and soaked in water and could be used to bind wounds with the sticky side down. The insides are similar to aloe vera and softened the skin and lessened pain. The bitter juice from the pads could be used as an emergency source of water. In Mexico, fields of prickly pear are grown for a scale insect, the cochineal, which grows on the pads. This insect is used to produce a beautiful natural purple dye.

Lightly traveled roads and varied terrain make Big Bend a premier bicycling location. Over 100 miles of paved roads, and 160 miles of backcountry dirt roads provide challenges for riders of all types and abilities. Bicyclists must be extremely cautious and well-prepared, but bicycling allows outstanding panoramic views, unobstructed by a windshield. It also allows the bicyclist to see and hear some of the smaller wonders of Big Bend from a more intimate viewpoint. All park roads are open to cyclists. A good map is essential. The Road Guide to Backcountry Dirt Roads of Big Bend National Park and the Road Guide to Paved and Improved Dirt Roads of Big Bend National Park have good descriptions of the roads and points of interest (available at the BBNHA Web Page Book Store). Many of the rides in the park are easier with a shuttle. If you have the luxury of having someone shuttle your vehicle or pick you up after a long day of cycling, opportunities are endless.

The spectacular river canyons, the primitive character of the Rio Grande, and its international flavor provide a stimulating environment for a high quality recreational and scenic experience. The river is a free-flowing river with a sufficient volume of water during normal years to permit full enjoyment of river recreational activities. There is kayaking, whitewater rafting, boating and fishing to enjoy. Three options are available if you desire to make a river trip: you can bring your own equipment and go exploring on your own, rent equipment, or hire a guide service that will provide all permits, food, equipment, and shuttles. A backcountry use permit is required for day and overnight use of floating craft on all sections of the Rio Grande administered by the National Park Service, except for persons day-fishing downstream from the park boundary. The permit is free and can be obtained at park visitor centers and at self-permit stations at Lajitas (Barton Warnock Environmental Education Center–only for Santa Elena Canyon) and the Stillwell Store and RV Park on FM2627 enroute to the Lower Canyons put-in at La Linda.

Hiking and backpacking experiences abound in the park. About 30 miles of park trails are developed and heavily used. These include short nature trails and the trails in the Chisos Mountains. Most other trails are primitive, difficult to follow, and in some instances no more than a route up a dry wash. Because they receive more precipitation than the rest of the park, the Chisos are often referred to as a temperate island in a desert sea. Since the Chisos are the most popular hiking area in the park, designated campsites help reduce damage to this delicate environment. The scenery varies widely ranging from the Rio Grande floodplain to arid badlands to sotol grasslands to rugged volcanic peaks. The desert provides virtually any backcountry experience sought by a hiker. Some areas are often used; others, more isolated, are seldom used and reflect a true wilderness setting. Mesa de Anguila and Dead Horse Mountains are the most remote areas, these magnificent limestone uplifts are best left to experienced backpackers. In the oven of summer they are particularly dangerous. Each year, park rangers respond to desert emergencies where hikers are not prepared for the heat and extreme conditions of the Big Bend Desert.

Big Bend National Park is not typically considered a climbers’ destination, but it offers some scenic, challenging, and wildly varied rock climbs for some real outdoor adventure. A hand written, yellowing guide of Big Bend penned by Roger Sigland in 1969 has been used here as a reference. Roger was a ranger at the time and had authored many first ascents in the park, some of which have seen very few, if any, second ascents. Roger collected information on Herb and Jan Conn, a couple who recorded Big Bend’s first technical climbs from 1946 to 1948. They have many first ascents to their credit, notably Dutch Girl, a beautiful crack climb up a scenic spire at the end of the Lost Mine Trail, Ice Cream Cone, a pinnacle off the north-west flank of Emory Peak, and a steep route on the north face of Casa Grande. To the best of the park’s knowledge, the route on Casa Grande has yet to see a second ascent.

Climbing in the park is unofficially discouraged because there is little written information to disseminate, the quality of rock ranges from fair to terrifying, the weather can be extremely harsh, and the approaches can be long, waterless ordeals. Bolting of any kind, electric or hand is strictly forbidden. Climbing here can be very rewarding, but leaving any trace of impact on this resource, over time, will surely jeopardize access. Please get involved. If you do climb in the park let a ranger know about it. Provide a photo or sketch if you can, and a written description of the location, route, and overall quality of the climb. Your information will be much appreciated by future climbers.

The majority of the park’s exposed vertical rock is composed of unstable igneous rock (rhyolite) and sharply fluted limestone. River canyon routes, Dog Canyon, and Mesa de Anguila routes are generally composed of limestone. Routes in the Chisos, Grapevine Hills, and Pine Canyon are generally composed of igneous rock. Don’t let this discourage you too much; there are relatively solid climbs on igneous rock. As stated by Roger Sigland in his informal guide, “On any climb expect rotten rock and few good cracks for pitons.” The use of portable electric drills is prohibited. Hand drilling is allowed only with written approval of the Superintendent. There are routes with bolts and even a few sport climbs in the park, but some were placed prior to any rules on the subject and some were placed illegally. Replacement of old bolts with 3/8 inch bolts is currently allowed.

Dog Canyon offers Big Bend’s only sport climbs. Drive north from Panther Junction for about 25 miles and park in the Dog Canyon trailhead parking area. The approach is a flat 2-mile walk to the canyon. However, there are several other areas that provide potentially good climbing opportunities as well- Pine Canyon, Grapevine Hills, Chisos Mountains, Green Gulch, Basin Rock, Lodge Rock, Appetite Peak, Lost Mine, High Chisos, Santa Elena Canyon, Mule Ears, and Mesa de Anguila.

Visitors to the park are welcome to bring and use personally owned livestock as long as they understand and abide by the rules and regulations governing the use of livestock. A day use permit is required for all stock use and may be obtained at any visitor center, free of charge. All gravel roads are open to horse riders. Horses are not permitted upon the paved roads or the shoulders of the paved roads. Cross country horse travel is permitted throughout the park, except for the Chisos Mountains area. Horse use in the Chisos Mountains is limited to the Laguna Meadow Trail, the Southwest Rim to the junction with the Boot Canyon Trail, and the Blue Creek Trail.

While all exotic plants/animals can be considered nonnative they are not all invasive. Many plants and animals have followed humans around the globe, though because of their close relationship with humans or the human created environment they are not successful in a place like Big Bend. There are many invasive species in Big Bend National Park. Of them, there is a handful that are the most noteworthy as a result of the impacts caused by their spread.

Possibly the most well known and longest lasting invasive species in the park is Salt Cedar, also known as Tamarisk. These trees were introduced to much of the desert southwest in the early 1900s as windbreaks and to lessen the impacts of soil erosion. Ironically, it is this plant that has caused some of the worst erosive features on the Rio Grande. What is worse, this tree is know to evaporate significant amounts of water, much more than a like sized cottonwood or willow would in a day. Equally depressing is the rate of spread for this plant, which has been known to resist cold temperatures, fire, floods, and drought.

Although several state and Federal agencies, including park staff, periodically monitor the quality of the river’s water, the monitoring is not done frequently enough to give managers a clear understanding of the Rio Grande’s water quality. Most studies provide only a “snapshot” view of the river. The Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission (TNRCC) fosters the Texas Watch Program, organized groups of volunteers who collect and analyze water samples for five basic quality parameters on a quarterly basis. The Big Bend River Watchers group was formed in August 1994 to conduct this sampling and analysis from Presidio through Boquillas Canyon.

Although the park cannot directly affect the quantity and quality of the river upstream, the park will continue to monitor water flows and quality and to participate in the Texas Watch program. The park has also begun working with the Rio Grande Compact Commission and the IBWC to explore long-term strategies to ensure minimum flow levels and treaty compliance.

The lower elevation desert contains mosaics of shrubs and grasses, and mixes of both depending on landform. Conditions prior to grazing can only be inferred. Mule train owners cut Chino grama, and perhaps tobosagrass to feed their animals.
Early settlers such as J.O. Langford described grasses as abundant “knee deep to a horse…only the tallest of the desert plants stood out above it.” Others referred to periodic abundant grass and although these ranchers lacked scientist’s trained eyes, they knew grass turned cows into money. Overgrazing led to sheet and rill erosion, channel cutting and conversion to more drought tolerant shrubs rather than perennial grasses. Recent research estimated it takes from 25-40 years for overgrazed sites to recover comparable vegetation, with recovery highly dependent on moisture.

That fire is the primary shaper of these ecosystems is debated. Above average precipitation in the growing season and availability of seed sources may lead to greater establishment of grasses. Fire is expected to be infrequent in these low biomass/density areas where landform shapes moisture conditions.

The fire history data and precipitation records from 1948 to 2003, suggest that there is strong relationship between the amount of area burned in Big Bend National Park and the adjacent surrounding area and the amount of precipitation received in preceding years. Grass is the primary carrier of fire at the park and the amount of grass increases with increasing precipitation. In drought years grass production is low and any grass grown in a preceding wet period will decrease thus limiting fire spread. However, during wetter periods more grass is produced and the ability of fire to spread increases. The drought of the 1950s and the most recent drought of the late 1990s resulted in limited burned area.

Preliminary research in the Chisos Mountains conservatively indicates that lightning-caused fires burned through the high woodland forests about once every 13 years. Studies in other mountainous parts of the Southwest suggest that many areas experienced fires as often as every five years. The last sizable fire in the Chisos was in 1903. Lack of fire is attributed to grazing (from 1880s to 1940s), drought (in 1890s and 1950s especially) and suppression (since grazing) which promoted shrub growth over grasses.

A regular cycle of fires in the Chisos consumed the buildup of dead wood and brush, killed off diseased and insect-ridden trees, and worked to thin the forest. One result of fire’s impact on the ecosystem was the beautiful oak-piñon forest of the higher reaches of the Chisos. The oak and piñon trees offered abundant food (acorns and pine nuts) for wildlife species such as black bears. Grasses that flourished in fire-maintained meadows and beneath open stands of trees provided highly nutritional food for white tail deer. The high density of deer enabled mountain lions to thrive in the mountains.

Annual precipitation is just under 10 inches in most of the park, but in wet years may exceed 30 inches in the mountains. Typically, winter and spring are dry seasons; the rains usually begin in June and last into the fall. Summer brings hot days and warm nights. Dramatic afternoon lightning storms with high winds are common and come on quickly. Heavy downpours may result in flash floods. Winter days may be sunny and warm, but the nights tend to be cold. Winter storms can blow in suddenly with plummeting temperatures and rain or snow. Appropriate clothing and other gear should be carried from November through April. The weather in Big Bend, hot or cold, injures and kills more hikers than any other factor. Come well prepared because weather changes can be dramatic and unexpected.

Current Park Weather

Due to the complex topography and vague trails, detailed 7.5 minute topographic maps and a compass are necessary for most hikes. The dry desert air quickly uses up the body’s water reserves. It is recommend that you carry a minimum of one gallon of water per person per day in the summer, slightly less in the winter. For half-day hikes, carry at least 2 quarts per person. Springs and tinajas (depressions in rock where water collects) are unreliable and may be unsafe to drink. Springs are rare in the desert and wildlife depend on them. Please carry enough water to supply your own needs. For cooking, drinking, and washing it is suggested 1 gallon/person/24 hours.

Backcountry rules include: leaving all natural, prehistoric, and historic features undisturbed, packing out all of your litter, including cigarette butts, toilet paper, and sanitary items, burying human waste 6 to 8 inches deep, well away from camp and any water source, and camping at least 100 yards from any water source–being too close may frighten away wildlife and damage fragile vegetation.

Prepare for emergencies–bring the essentials from this backpacking checklist: well made backpack and repair kit, first aid kit, compass, topographical map, extra food and water, knife, flashlight, rain gear, and spare clothing, good hiking boots, campstove (no fires allowed), tent with rainfly, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, GPS unit, multipurpose tool or knife, signal mirror or whistle, wide brimmed hat, sunscreen with high SPF, and insect repellent. Notify friends or family of your itinerary–they can contact the park if you fail to return. Fill out a Solo Hiker Form if you are backpacking alone in a remote area.

Do not build a fire–if you need to cook, use a backpacker’s stove. Do not bring your pets while hiking or camping. They may frighten wildlife and are not allowed off established roadways. Do not camp in a dry wash as flash floods can occur without warning and are devastating. If you do smoke while you travel, stop where you can’t start a fire, and be sure to pack out the butts. Don’t cut switchbacks on trails–it starts erosion that destroys trails. Guns are prohibited.

Horses are not permitted on the interpretive nature trails in the park since they were only designed for foot travel. The short trails into Santa Elena and Boquillas Canyons are also restricted to pedestrians only. The Pine Canyon Trail in the Pine Canyon Designated Natural Research Area is closed to horses. Horses are not permitted in developed campgrounds, picnic areas, near eating or sleeping facilities or other areas of concentrated visitor use. All areas of domestic water supply or other sanitation facilities are closed to horses. Horses may not be taken into Mexico and brought back into the United States without proper authorization from the United States Department of Agriculture.

Backcountry riders must provide controlled overnight maintenance of their animals, including the provision of commercial feed. Grazing within the park is not allowed. Water must generally be hauled to the stock in the lower elevations of the park, where a semi-desert climate prevails. Stock may be watered at the Rio Grande and springs that are not utilized for domestic water supply. Check with park rangers for spring water flows in various areas of the park. Areas of quicksand may be encountered along the streams, washes, and the Rio Grande. Desert vegetation such as lechuguilla and cactus can injure livestock.

Permits are required for overnight camping. All backcountry campsites are available on a first come, first served basis, except for the Government Springs campsite, which you can reserve up to ten weeks ahead of time. If you are unable to arrive by 6:00 PM on the first day of the reservation at Government Springs, you should contact the park at (432) 477-2251. Failure to do so may result in a cancellation of the reservation. Check with the park to see which backcountry campsites are open to horses.

A Park Ranger may inspect your boat for required equipment while you are on the river. The following equipment is essential for a safe river trip: boat-canoes, kayaks, or heavy duty inflatable rafts; dump-station compatible carry-out toilet-to pack out human waste; and life jackets-one U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket per person. It must be worn on class II or greater water (International Scale) and on inner tubes or air mattresses. Bring one extra per group. Also, paddles/oars-each vessel (except inner tubes and air mattresses) must carry an extra paddle or oar, except for kayaks, which must carry one extra paddle per party; patch kit/pump-all inflatable vessels, except inner tubes and air mattresses, must carry a patch kit and pump. It is recommended to also bring first aid kit-to handle major and minor emergencies; plastic trash bags to carry out all trash;
safety line-rope length 50′-100′ and 3/8″ diameter, carry tie-downs to secure gear in your vessel; a bailing bucket to remove water from inside your vessel; water-tight containers to keep food, clothing, gear dry; a small shovel; and a flashlight. You will also want to treat any water collected for drinking, camp well above the high water mark and out of any side canyons, respect private property in both countries, urinate in the river or on wet shoreline, carry out all other human waste, and report all injuries or property damage or losses over $100 to a Park Ranger.
Swimming in the Rio Grande is not recommended. The river can be hazardous, even in calm-looking water. Be aware of strong undercurrents, shallow areas with sharp rocks and large tree limbs, and be watchful for trot lines with large hooks.

Do not rock climb without appropriate gear, adequate preparation, and knowledge of the area. Rock is generally unstable in the park and may be dangerous. Climb safe! A climbing helmet is an absolutely necessary part of a Big Bend climber’s rack. Dehydration kills park visitors every year; you cannot bring too much water. All rock in Big Bend National Park is suspect, so belayer position and gear placement are especially critical. Permits are not required for climbing, although voluntary registration at one of the visitor centers is encouraged. Some climbing areas are so remote, however, that a backcountry permit may be required to gain access to them. Please check in and out for safety reasons as well as to provide climbing information for the park. Most climbs in the park require traditional gear from small nuts to off width protection.

Many climbs involve a significant approach so check the weather and pack accordingly. Climbing, ascending, descending, or traversing an archeological or cultural resource is prohibited. Be aware of your impact and tread lightly. There are areas that are closed to climbing from February 1 to May 31 annually to protect nesting sites of the peregrine falcon. Check with a ranger.

Before you set out to explore any backcountry roads make sure that your vehicle and its tires are in good condition. A disabled vehicle on these isolated roads can become a life-threatening situation. Check your vehicle’s fluid levels and the air pressure in the tires to make sure they are at the recommended levels. Make sure that you have emergency equipment: a good spare tire, a tire repair kit and pump, extra belts and hoses, tools to change tires and extra coolant or water for your vehicle’s radiator. You must also provide for yourself and your passengers. Carry plenty of water—you may find someone in the backcountry that really needs it (maybe yourself!). Carry some type of high energy food that will keep, such as trail mix, in case you need it. You should also carry a first aid kit and some sleeping gear in case you have to spend an unplanned night in your vehicle. Dress as if you were going hiking (hiking boots, long pants, long sleeve shirt, and a hat) so that you are prepared to walk if the need arises. Check the road conditions with a park ranger at one of the visitor centers before you go, and let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return.

There are some important things that you should also remember. Slow speed is much easier on your vehicle, its tires and its occupants, and it also allows you to enjoy the scenery. Remember that every vehicle has its limits; if you encounter a road obstacle or conditions that you believe are beyond the limits of your vehicle, you usually have the option of turning around. Carry a map of the park so you know where you are on the road at all times (keep track of how far you have traveled in case you have to walk back). If your vehicle becomes disabled, it is almost always best to stay with your vehicle. Hopefully a park ranger or another visitor will see you, or whoever you informed that you were going and who will report you overdue. If walking becomes necessary, it is imperative that you carry water and stay on the road. Leave a note on the dashboard of your vehicle that says what the problem is and where you are going. In addition to protecting yourself, you are also responsible for protecting and preserving the resources of the park. Stay on the established roadways. Off-road vehicle travel is not allowed. Finally, remember to lock your vehicle if you are leaving it unattended and secure your valuables.

Pets on leashes are allowed in campgrounds, picnic areas and along road sides, but not on any park trails. You are not allowed to leave your pet unattended in vehicles if it creates a danger to the animal, or if the animal becomes a public nuisance

Many of the park’s archeological and historical sites have been vandalized and valuable information has been destroyed or removed by artifact collectors. Casual artifact collecting by the park visitor has resulted in the loss and destruction of much evidence of the past, information which could otherwise be obtained through scientific investigation. Archeological sites are protected by the Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1979. Under this act, people who disturb these cultural resources can be fined up to $10,000 and sentenced to up to six months in prison for their first offense. Information about sites is exempt from the Public Freedom of Information Act.

If Big Bend had a symbol, it might well be the mountain lion—the embodiment of freedom and wildness. Solitary and secretive, this mighty creature is the unquestioned lord of its natural world. As one of Big Bend’s top predators, Felis concolor—”cat all of one color”—is vital in maintaining the park’s biological diversity. In the delicate habitats of the Chihuahuan Desert, mountain lions help balance herbivores (animals that eat plants) and vegetation. Research shows that cats help keep deer and javelina within the limits of their food resources. Without lions, the complex network of life in Big Bend would certainly be changed.

The javelina or collared peccary Tayassu tajacu, is found as far south as Argentina and as far north as Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Collared peccaries are in the even-toed, hoofed mammal order of Artiodactyla. Javelinas are often called pigs but they really are not. They are in a different family than pigs. Javelinas thrive in a variety of habitats and are able to adapt easily to different areas in their territory. The javelina is an herbivore (plant eater) and frugivore (fruit eater). Coyotes, bobcats, black bears, and mountain lions prey upon javelinas.

One of the largest mammals in Big Bend National Park is the mule deer. They stand 3 to 3 1/2 feet high at the shoulder and are about 6 1/2 feet long. When undisturbed, they will feed at any time of day. Deer will rapidly consume young, green leaves of herbs and grasses when available. They are more typically browsers, however, feeding on twigs and leaves of shrubs. Mule deer are preyed upon by mountain lions. When a mule deer senses danger, it performs a stiff-legged bound, bringing all four feet off the ground at the same time. A deer can stott from a standstill or when running. While stotting, a deer can travel up to 26 feet in a single leap and clear obstacles up to six feet high. It can turn its body completely around in mid-air, reversing direction. A mule deer uses the leaps to bound up slopes and over bushes and rocks, making it difficult for predators to follow. The pogo stick-like leap also provides an elevated view of the terrain and perhaps signals to the predator that they have been spotted.

The Elf Owl, Western Screech Owl, and Great Horned Owl are all found within the park. Owls are amazing creatures and well adapted predators. Owls eat mice, voles, shrews, rats, squirrels, lemmings, grasshoppers, fish, snakes, birds, skunks, rabbits, insects, spiders, scorpions, reptiles and even other owls. Some scientists estimate that one owl will eat 2,000 rodents a year, that’s 5-6 per night! There are several ways to locate owls in the wild. Look for whitewash on trees and cliffs. Watch known holes in trees; they may be the home of an owl. If you see small birds are chasing and dive bombing a larger bird, check to see if the large bird is an owl. At night shine a flashlight around the area where you are watching. It may pick up eye shine or reflected light from the eyes of owls.

The Big Bend mosquito fish, Gambusia gaigei, is an endemic species. The only place in the world it is found is a few ponds near the Rio Grande Village. This tiny endangered fish is at risk from exotic species competition and diminishing habitat. Although never abundant, the Big Bend gambusia population is now considered stable. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service moved some of the Gambusia gaigei to a fish hatchery in Dexter, New Mexico, in the event that something should happen to the population in Big Bend National Park and a source to restock the park became necessary.

Two endangered birds are found in Big Bend. Both are considered stable populations. The black-capped vireo, Vireo atricapillus, has been threatened by habitat loss and cowbird parasitism. The cowbird lays its eggs in other bird’s nests and then relies on the host parents to raise the young. The cowbird hatchlings are typically larger and more aggressive than the young belonging in the nest. This often results in only the cowbird surviving. The black-capped vireo nests in oak scrub and thickets in the Basin area. An annual study is done each spring to monitor the black capped vireo’s nesting success. The peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus, nests on cliffs in the Chisos Basin and along the canyons of the Rio Grande. The aeries or nest sites are often used year after year by the pair. There are fourteen known peregrine territories monitored each year in Big Bend National Park. Some trails are closed in the park during the peregrine nesting period to help protect them and ensure their success. The peregrine was recently removed from the Endangered Species list because it has recovered in much of its range. In the park, however, it is still a species of concern and monitoring will continue.

The endangered Mexican long-nosed bat, Leptonycteris nivalis, is a nectar feeder. It is often seen on summer evenings feeding on the century plant or agave flower stalks. In return, the bat pollinates the agave flowers. The Mexican long-nosed bat population is considered to be stable in the park. Its habitat, however, is threatened in Mexico.

About two dozen mountain lions live in Big Bend. Also called panther, cougar, or puma, mountain lions are most often seen in the Chisos Mountains. Lion attacks on humans are rare, yet three have occurred since 1985. If you encounter an aggressive lion, hold your ground, wave your arms, throw stones, and shout. Never run.

You are unlikely to encounter a black bear while hiking, although a small population lives in the Chisos Mountains year around. As you hike, pay close attention to the path ahead. Survey the landscape for wildlife. Keep a clean camp and store your food properly. If you encounter a bear, give it plenty of room. Report all mountain lion and black bear sightings to a Ranger. See Wildlife Precautions page for further information.

The standard entry fee, of $20.00/ 7 days, covers all people traveling in a non-commercial, privately-used vehicle. The fee for entry of individuals on motorcycles, bicycles, etc. is $5.00/ 7 days. Big Bend Annual Pass is $30.00, good for one year.

$14 per night ($5 per night for bearers of the Golden Age or Golden Access Passport), is charged for all campgrounds in the park.

Chisos Basin Campground is open year-round. It offers 63 campsites. Flush toilets, running water, grills, and picnic tables are available. No hook-ups. Elevation is 5,400′. Due to the narrow, winding road to the Basin, and small campsites, trailers over 20′ and RV’s over 24′ are not recommended at this campground. Reservations are available for 26 sites November 15 to April 15. Call 1-877-444-6777. Big Bend National Park cannot make reservations.

The Chisos Basin Campground has six group camp sites that are available only by advance reservation. The total overnight occupancy for the Chisos Basin group campground is 118 persons. All sites in this campground have a minimum occupancy of 10 persons. Sites L, P, Q, and R hold a maximum of 20 persons each. The following sites N and O hold a maximum occupancy of 14 persons each. Site M has a maximum occupancy of 10 persons. Tents larger than 8′ X 8′ are not recommended because of site layout; however, sites P, Q, and R can accommodate larger tents if necessary. Sites P, Q, and R have shade ramadas.

Cottonwood Campground is open all year with 31 campsites. Pit toilets, picnic tables, grills, and water are available. No Hook-ups or dump station is available. No generators are allowed. Elevation is at 1,900′. The Cottonwood Campground has one group camp site that is available only by advance reservation. Maximum occupancy for this group campground is 25 persons. Minimum capacity is 10 persons. This group campground is walk-in tent camping only. Vehicle parking is restricted to an adjacent parking area. To reserve the group campsite, call 1-877-444-6777.

Rio Grande Village Campground is open year-round. This 100 site campground has flush toilets, running water, picnic tables, grills, and some overhead shelters. Dump Station nearby; No hook-ups. Elevation is 1,850′. Reservations for 43 sites may be made November 15 to April by calling 1-877-444-6777. Group reservations can be made at this same number. The Rio Grande Village Campground has four group camp sites that are available only by advance reservation. The total overnight occupancy for the Rio Grande Village group campground is 120 persons. All sites in this campground have a minimum occupancy of 10 persons. Sites A and B comprise the area on the east side of the comfort station. Maximum occupancy for each site is 20 persons. Sites C and D comprise the area on the west side of the comfort station. Maximum occupancy for each site is 40 persons. This group campground is walk-in tent camping only. Vehicle parking is restricted to an adjacent parking area.

There is a concession-operated trailer park for RV campsites, and sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Big Bend’s backcountry offers ample opportunity of exploration and solitude. Backcountry campsites are available along the unpaved roads and along the trails in the Chisos Mountains, all year long. Since the Chisos are the most popular hiking area in the park, designated campsites help reduce damage to this delicate environment. There is no charge to use these sites, but a backcountry permit is required. Some of these are Juniper Flats Campground located 1 mile from the Basin trailhead via the Pinnacles trail, Emory Peak Campground approximately 3.7 miles from Basin trailhead via the Pinnacles Trail and Emory Peak Trail, Northeast Rim campsites located between 6 to 7.5 miles from the Chisos Basin Trailhead via the Pinnacles Trail, Laguna Meadow campsites located 3.5 miles from the Basin trailhead via the Laguna Meadow Trail, Boulder Meadow located 1½ mile from the Basin trailhead via the Pinnacles trail, Boot Canyon located in Boot Canyon, 4.5 miles from the Chisos Basin Trailhead via the Pinnacles Trail, and Southeast Rim campsites located between 6.5 to 8 miles from the Chisos Basin Trailhead via either the Pinnacles/Boot Canyon or Laguna Meadows Trails. There are several more areas available.

For those who wish to camp in the backcountry without having to backpack, Big Bend offers a number of primitive campsites along backcountry roads. Most sites are located in the desert and along the River Road. There are no primitive roadside campsites in the Chisos Mountains. While some sites are accessible to most vehicles, a high clearance and/or four wheel drive vehicle is necessary to reach others. Other than a nice view, isolation, and a flat gravel space, these sites offer no amenities. There is a $10.00 permit fee for these sites; a backcountry permit is required.

Fort Davis National Historic Site is 125 miles away. Guadalupe Mountains National Park is 275 miles away. Carlsbad Caverns National Park is 305 miles away. Amistad National Recreation Area is 248 miles away. Chamizal National Memorial is 328 miles away. Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River is 0 miles. Big Bend Ranch State Park is 50 miles away. Barton Warnock Environmental Education Center is 30 miles away. Davis Mountains State Park is 130 miles away. Fort Leaton State Historic Site is 100 miles away. McDonald Observatory is 130 miles away.

The nearest airports served by major airlines are located in Midland/Odessa, Texas and El Paso, Texas. Rental cars are available at both airports.

Three paved roads lead to the park: 1) U.S. 385 from Marathon, TX to the north entrance, 2) State Route 118 from Alpine, TX to the west entrance, 3) Ranch Road 170 from Presidio to Study Butte, and then State Route 118 to the west entrance. Big Bend National Park headquarters is located 70 miles south of Marathon, TX and 108 miles from Alpine, TX via Hwy. 118.

There is no public transportation to or from the park. Amtrak serves Alpine, TX, 108 miles to the north. Bus service is available to Alpine and Marathon.

Approximate Mileage from the following major cities to Big Bend National Park:

By Car:

Marathon, TX- 68.07 miles

Alpine, TX – 98.28 miles

Midland, TX – 232.29 miles

Del Rio, TX – 240.98 miles

Odessa, TX – 210.52 miles

By Plane:

Midland/Odessa, TX – 230 miles (northeast entrance)

El Paso, TX 325 miles (northwest entrance)

Rental vehicles are also available

By Train:

Amtrak station is located in Alpine, Texas – 100 miles

By Bus:

Greyhound, Inc., Alpine, Texas – 100 miles (daily service)

Big Bend National Park, P.O. Box 129, Big Bend National Park, TX 79834

Headquarters 432-477-2251

Weather Information Hotline 432-477-1183

By Fax 432-477-1175