What Is Big Bend National Park?
Big Bend National Park preserves the desert and mountain landscapes between two canyons of the Rio Grande!
What Makes It Beautiful?
Big Bend is divided into three main ecosystems: riparian, desert, and mountain, and all are so very beautiful! At Santa Elena and Boquillas Canyons, though the river is muddy, there are towering walls that catch the light on all sides as the sun moves across the sky, and you can join a float trip through them as long as you get enough people in your group!
The desert part is full of neat rock formations like the Mule Ears, and in the spring and autumn, you’ll see vast fields of wildflowers accompanied by clouds of butterflies! These aren’t just little clusters; I mean miles-long swarms of butterflies! There were also lots of giant caterpillars undulating across the roads! For me, though, the mountains were the major highlight, because the flowers combined with mighty pinnacles and sweeping views of the sheer, red cliffs on all sides!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Volunteer at Big Bend National Park!
- Become a member of the Big Bend Conservancy!
- Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
How Do I Get There?
West Entrance
- 8 miles E of Terlingua on TX-118
Terlingua, TX 79852
North Entrance
- 40 miles S of Marathon on US-385
Alpine, TX 79830
When Should I Visit the Park?
Visit whenever the mood strikes you, but the best times of year will be in the spring and fall when the temperatures are lower, and the flowers are more plentiful!
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