The Big Bend National Park
The very mention of Big Bend National Park evokes instant recognition in all Texans. The name brings
forth images of camping and canoeing, of hiking and biking, of mountain climbing and rock climbing. It is
a place where memories are made and last a lifetime for all Texans. I was there this past weekend with
an adventurous and indefatigable group of friends. It was indeed a rewarding experience for a Naturalist
wannabe.
The Big Bend refers to a marvelous sweeping arc in the shape of a hair pin bend in the Rio Grande River
that was once a mighty force of nature. This bend occurs in the Rio Grande River midway between El
Paso and Laredo and forms a boundary between the US and Mexico. The River loops over a 118 mile
stretch and runs in a south westerly direction and then in a north easterly direction. The bend in the
River forms the southern boundary of the Big Bend National Park. The park covers 801,000 acres and is
the only National Park in the United States that contains within its boundaries a complete mountain
range i.e., the Chisos Mountain Range.
About 200 million years ago the structural forms of the Big Bend region were formed by volcanic
eruptions and the mountain ranges and peaks, the volcanic rocks, lava tuffs and lava ropes can be seen
all around. The area was under shallow seas between 75 and 100 million years ago. When the seas
receded the present forms were revealed and have continued unchanged for the most part. The
canyons have been formed by erosion by water from the once mighty Rio Grande River including the
Boquillas Canyon and the Santa Elena Canyon. This is where the dinosaurs, the mammoths and other
gigantic mammals roamed until 65 million years ago. Then came the more modern era until eventually
humans came to the Chihuahan desert about 10,000 years ago. Fossils provide evidence of the various
inhabitants of this region and provide material for study by geologists, archeologists and biologists.
The vegetation at the Big Bend National Park is dominated by that of the Chihuahan desert. There are
Riparian areas along the Rio Grande River and of course the mountainous areas in the Chisos mountain
ranges. The plants that are typical of the Chihuahan desert include small shrubby plants, agaves,
ocotillos and old man’s beard plants. The landscape does have a bleak and forbidding aspect to it. It is
awe inspiring and somewhat intimidating. The Spanish explorers called Big Bend “El Despoblado”, the
uninhabited land. In the heat of the summer this desert could terrify even the most intrepid hikers and
mountaineers.
A visit to Big Bend National park brings to full view the entire gamut of topics covered in the Master
Naturalist course in one vast sweep. A trip ought to be on the agenda for every Master Naturalist.