INTRODUCTION TO BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK

The 800,000 acre Big Bend National Park was established in 1944 through a transfer of land from the State of Texas to the United States. For that reason Big Bend National Park is often referred to as Texas' Gift to the Nation. The park is significant because it contains the most representative example of the Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem in the United States. The park's river, desert and mountain environments support an extraordinary richness of biological diversity, including endemic plants and animals, and provide unparallel recreation opportunities.

The geologic features furnish opportunities to study both sedimentary and igneous process as well as Cretaceous and Tertiary fossils. The Chisos mountains reach a height of 7,832' on Emory Peak and are considered the southern most range in the United States. The park also contains 118 miles of the Rio Grande river including three major canyons: the 20 mile Santa Elena Canyon, 10 mile Mariscal Canyon and 33 mile Boquillas Canyon.

The wide range of habitat creates homes for a variety of flora and fauna including more than 1,200 species of plants, over 450 species of birds, 56 species of reptiles and 75 species of mammals.

Big Bend National Park provides unique opportunities for hiking, camping, bird watching and river trips. Unlike many national parks, most of the visitors to Big Bend venture off of the paved roads.