Big Bend National Park, Texas

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Santa Elena Canyon at Big Bend National Park
Author: eclectico63 (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)

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Big Bend National Park is a national park in Texas, USA. It is located on the border between Mexico and the United States, along 80 miles of the 1000-mile course of the Rio Grande / Río Bravo which separates the two countries.

Big Bend National Park constitutes the largest protected area of the Chihuahuan Desert in the United States. Covering 1252 sq miles (3242 sq km), it was established in 12 June, 1944. The park is rich in wildlife, with some 450 species of birds, 56 species of reptiles and 75 species of mammals having been recorded there. There is also 1,200 different species of plant at Big Bend.

Big Bend National Park, Texas
Author: Leaflet (public domain)

As Big Bend lies on an international boundary, the park faces unusual challenges in administration and in the enforcement of park rules. In accordance with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the US National Park Service has jurisdiction only to the center of the deepest river channel as the river flowed in 1848. The rest of the land south of that channel is Mexican territory.

Archaeological excavations reveal evidence of human habitation in the area going back to the Paleo-Indian period, 10,500 years ago. Different Native American tribes have lived there before, among them the Chisos, Mescaleros and Comanche. In more recent history, the area was settled was Spanish, Mexican and white farmers.

South Rim, Big Bend National Park
Author: Adam Baker (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)

Visiting Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park is off the beaten track. Even the journey there itself is half the fun. Don't count on public transport here, there's none. You have to drive to get there, taking either State Route 118 from Alpine to Study Butte-Terlingua or US Highway 385 to the town of Marathon, and continue another 70 miles south to reach the park headquarters. Make sure you have ample supply of gas, as you might not see many gas stations in the area. There is a gas station at Panther Junction, about 1/8 mile from the visitor center, open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Big Bend National Park is open 24 hours daily all year round. The visitor center at Panther Junction is open daily from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, but is closed on Christmas Day.

Admission fee to Big Bend is $20 per vehicle, valid for seven days, inclusive of occupants. Individuals on bicycle, motorcycle or group pay $10 for the seven-day pass. There is also a $40 pass for unlimited entry.

If you arrive after the visitor center has closed, it is fine to pay the fee the following day.

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