Big Bend National Park

CONTENTS

Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park is a land of borders. Situated on the boundary with Mexico along the Rio Grande, it is a place where countries and cultures meet. It is also a place that merges natural environments, from desert to mountains. It is a place where south meets north and east meets west, creating a great diversity of plants and animals. The park covers over 801,000 acres of west Texas in the place where the Rio Grande makes a sharp turn - the Big Bend.

IN DEPTH

Preservation Civilian Conservation Corps A Troubled Economy By 1930, many people who had enjoyed the prosperity of the Roaring Twenties found themselves in soup lines and tattered clothes. Sputtering Model Ts rumbled...read more

Just For Kids Be A Junior Ranger Discover Big Bend history, the parts of a cactus, and what javelina eat! The Big Bend Junior Ranger program is designed for kids of all ages....read more

Sights to See Primitive Dirt Roads What is a "Primitive Dirt Road?" These are maintained roads where a high clearance 2WD vehicle is able to travel safely at low speeds on long dry straight-of-ways,...read more

Camping Campground Reservations Reserving a frontcountry campsite Big Bend National Park has partnered with Recreation.gov in accepting campground reservations at the developed frontcountry campgrounds. Forty-three (43) sites at Rio Grande Village campground and...read more

History Designations In 1933, the state of Texas established Texas Canyons State Park, using 15 school sections owned by the state. Lands forfeited for non payment of taxes were quickly added...read more

Natural World Park resources and wildlife Below are commonly asked questions about park resources and wildlife in the Big Bend. Please contact us, use the site index, or look elsewhere on the...read more

Plants Big Bend Blooms Watching Cactus and Wildflowers Feel free to observe, describe, and photograph flowers and inform park staff if you think something is noteworthy. But remember to help preserve our...read more

Animals Coyotes The coyote, Canis latrans, is a native of the grasslands, but is now found coast to coast in the United States. It lives in the grasslands, deserts, temperate forests,...read more

Geology Rivers and Streams 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...read more

In A Nutshell Entrance Passes If you plan to visit other national parks, you may want to purchase an Interagency Annual Pass. If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and age 62...read more