Rugged, desolate, stark beauty characterizes Big Bend National Park, an 800,000-acre preserve located on the western “toe” of the state, 329 miles from El Paso, 409 miles from San Antonio, and 530 miles from Dallas-Fort Worth. A state park was established here in 1933, and with a state donation of an additional 706,706 acres, the United States established Big Bend as its 27th national park in 1944.

“Big Bend” is the course of the Rio Grande River, which marks the southern perimeter of the park and divides Texas from Mexico. It is here that the river dips for 100 miles as it bumps into three mountain ranges and abruptly changes direction from southeast to northeast. Big Bend’s wide range of geography, plants, and animal life, and the big river that curls through it, make it one of the country’s top five national parks, although its remote location makes it far less frequently visited than other national parks such as Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Glacier.

The park is situated in the Chihuahuan Desert, the largest in North America, which reaches west into New Mexico and south into four Mexican states. The squiggling ribbon of the Rio Grande flows through river cane and tamarisk vegetation, as well as mountain oases of conifer forests and shaded springs, providing amazing contrasts such as ferns and cacti growing near each other. The dominant mountain range, the Chisos, consists of lava masses and peaks that climb to 7,835 feet. The unusual and sometimes unique plant and animal species found tucked away in the harsh desert secured it the designation of international biosphere reserve from UNESCO, one of 250 such sites in the world.

The mountains and green valleys close to the Rio Grande are rich with birds that find refuge on this southern end of the central flyway and enjoy a diversity of habitat. The bird most often noted is the roadrunner—made famous by a cartoon of the same name—which, fueled by the moisture it extracts from snakes and lizards, tears along at 20 miles per hour. Altogether, 430 species of birds live here—more than in any other national park in the United States or Canada. They range from small desert wrens, graybreasted jays, and hummingbirds to great blue herons, Mexican mallards, golden and bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, American kestrels, peregrine falcons, great horned owls, screech owls, and white-throated swifts. Two birds found only here in the United States are the colima warbler, a small yellow-and-gray song bird that nests in the Boot Canyon and the Laguna Meadow, and the lucifer hummingbird. Cacti provide nests for the aptly named cactus wrens.

At least 75 species of mammals live in the park, including white-tailed and mule deer, foxes, pronghorns, coyotes, black bears, and mountain lions. A common sight is the javelina, or collared peccary, which looks like a wild pig but is more closely related to tapirs and horses. Small herds feed in the early morning and late evening near campgrounds and the Chisos Mountain Lodge. Other small mammals include the black-tailed jackrabbit and kangaroo rat. Ten species of amphibians and 56 species of reptiles also live here. And there are more than 100 species of snakes, 22 of lizards, and four of turtles. The most venomous snakes include the Trans-Pecos copperhead, the western diamondback rattlesnake, the mottled rock rattlesnake, the Mojave rattlesnake, and the blacktail rattlesnake, none of which usually trouble visitors. Most commonly seen is the long, pink coachwhip snake, which is harmless. Hairy tarantula spiders are commonly seen on roads in late summer and fall. Despite their reputation, they aren’t poisonous or dangerous, and will bite only if threatened. Scorpions—15 species exist here—inject venom through the stinger on their tail, but none of the scorpions in the park are lethal.

The desert here can be colorful, with purple, blue, brown, orange, green, and yellow hues decorating the changing seasons. More than 70 species of cacti thrive here and produce splendid flowers, usually in early April. Cholla, prickly pear, southwestern barrel cactus, devil’s claw, and strawberry cactus are well represented. At higher elevations, pinyon pine, oak, and juniper cover meadows and hills. The Chisos Mountains reveal a bounty of pine, cypress, Douglas fir, maple, and quaking aspen.

Fishing is good in the park, with blue, channel, and flathead catfish. Anglers can also hook carp, smallmouth buffalo, longnose gar, river carpsucker, and freshwater drum. Mexican stoneroller, huahua shiner, and Big Bend gambusia are particular to the park. This is a dry place, where the desert receives only 5 to 8 inches of rain a year, and the mountains, around 15 inches. In June and August average temperatures rise over 90\260F and slip just below 70\260 at night. October to November and March to April are the best times to visit. Autumn, when water levels reach 4 feet, is best for river-running, while spring is best for bird-watching and wildflowers. Summer rains make August the coolest summer month.

Because of vast distances between towns, park visitors should ensure the gas tank is filled when driving to the park. Entry to the park is from Alpine on the west or from Marathon on the east. Alpine is a retail center and shipping point for the huge ranching area, headquarters for mining companies, and home of Sul Ross State University; it offers B&B lodgings in historic buildings. The name Marathon came from a sea captain who said the area reminded him of Marathon in Greece. The historic Gage Hotel, with original pine floors and woodwork and ranch-style furnishings dating back to the 1920s, is located here. A motel for visitors is found in Chisos Basin, just beneath Casa Grande, an impressive stack of rocks rising 7,325 feet.

The park headquarters and main visitor center are located at Panther Junction, in the northern central area of the park. The park has three drive-in campsites and backcountry campsites that require permits. All campsites and campgrounds are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Paved roads, improved dirt roads and backcountry dirt roads provide vehicle access within the park. The Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, which runs west beside the Chisos Mountains to the historic farming settlement of Castolon Valley and to the mouth of the Santa Elena Canyon, is an outstanding route with diverse geography. The Rio Grande Village Drive, Maverick Drive, and Basin Drive are also popular. Keep the gas tank full because gas is available only at two widely separated park points—Panther Junction and Rio Grande Village. Drivers stuck in sand may free their vehicles by deflating the tires to 15 psi and slowly accelerating. Car doors should be locked to prevent petty thievery.

The park has more than 200 miles of trails that vary in distance from short walks to longer treks of 33 miles, and in elevation from 1,800 to 7,835 feet. The 1.7-mile round-trip Santa Elena Canyon Trail, 5.6-mile round-trip Window Trail, 4.6-mile round-trip Lost Mine Trail, 4-mile roundtrip Pine Canyon Trail, and 14-mile round-trip South Rim Loop are among those recommended for day hikes. Top backcountry trails include the 14-mile Cross Canyon Trail, the 32-mile Outer Mountain Loop, and the 11-mile Dodson Trail. Horseback riding is permitted on two trails for people who bring their own horses and supplies as there is no riding stable.

In 1899, Dr Robert Hill, assisted by a local trapper who knew the canyons, was the first to float down the Rio Grande, which skirts the southern edge of the park. He put in at Presidio, 55 miles west of the park, and boated to the mouth of the Pecos River, near Langtry, taking a month to complete the trip. Unlike the tame upper reaches of the river, the current is strong and full through the park. Today it typically takes two weeks for a river-runner to cover the 245 miles of Rio Grande wilderness, which includes 118 miles of park through Santa Elena, Mariscal, and Boquillas Canyons. The lower canyons in the park, which extend for 83 miles, appeal to advanced river-runners. Above the park, the Colorado Canyon offers moderate rapids. The canyons offer spectacular scenery and good whitewater, so they are more popular than the entire river stretch.

Canoes, kayaks, and inflatable rafts are used to run the Rio Grande. People bring their own equipment or rent it at local outfitters, and must obtain a use permit from a ranger station. Another way is to sign on with licensed river outfitters in the area’s towns that provide one- to nine-day trips through remote canyons. Guided tours for bird-watching, mountain biking, and horseback riding may also be arranged. Immense ranches dominate this scenic part of the state, but hardy communities also offer a variety of recreation and entertainment facilities.