Far West Wonder
Of the 59 national parks that have been established in the century since the National Park Service was created, only Big Bend is as breathtaking at night as it is in the daylight. The park has the darkest measured night sky in the lower 48 states, recognized by scientists throughout the world. Visitors to the park need only to look up in order to see the Milky Way galaxy stretching above them. But when the sun is out, the wondrous terrain is a sight to behold. From gazing at the stars to hiking the 200 miles of trails, Big Bend is sure to satisfy at every hour of the day.
This year, the National Park Service is celebrating its 100th anniversary, and throughout the country, the NPS is hosting centennial events and activities. “The National Park Service’s 100th birthday gives Big Bend National Park and the Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River a wonderful opportunity to not only showcase the two parks’ incredible resources but to also reach out to our younger generations, who will be the parks’ next caretakers,” says Cindy Ott-Jones, the first female superintendent in the history of this first national park in Texas.
Big Bend National Park is joining in the festivities with hiking challenges and other activities. Completing the three hiking challenges earns visitors three unique patches. During the Memorial Day weekend, several activities occurred, including star-gazing and guided walks led by park biologists. A May 27 outdoor birthday party will be held to celebrate the centennial and the 20th year of Big Bend Conservancy, a major partner and supporter of Big Bend National Park. The party will be held at the Chisos Mountains Lodge. Leave room for the free cake.
Also on the calendar is the Sept. 24 groundbreaking of a new outdoor exhibit. The Fossil Bone Exhibit will show off the park’s 120 million years of paleontological history. The project was made possible through fundraising efforts of Big Bend Conservancy. Roughly 120 million years ago, the area was covered by sea, shown by the extensive limestone features found throughout the region. After the sea receded, dinosaurs and other Cretaceous creatures roamed the landscape until 65 million years ago, when a giant meteor caused one of the greatest extinctions that’s occurred in Earth’s history. Erosion and upheaval began to change the flat seabed of limestone. Approximately 29 million years ago, extensive volcanic events changed the Big Bend landscape into the beauty seen today.
Rich History
People have lived in and traveled through what is now Far West Texas for thousands of years. Hunter-gatherer groups, Spanish troops, ranchers, miners and the U.S. Army all made use of the land and left a legacy of artifacts and infrastructure. Archeological surveys of Big Bend are still ongoing, and the park’s official website even says that any artifacts spotted may have never been seen before and should be reported to park rangers. Visitors to Big Bend not only get to explore beautiful wilderness but also have the chance to help deepen our understanding of the region’s history.
The first users of the area were Native Americans. They began their stay over 10,000 years ago. The climate was wetter at the time and ideal for the lifestyle of the hunter-gatherer culture. Evidence of these people is found throughout the region and varies from camp areas to lithic scatters to pictographs and petroglyphs. As the climate dried, the Native Americans adapted to the change, organized into larger groups and continued to live in the area. The late 17th century brought dramatic changes to the region.
The Big Bend of the 1700s held a mixture of Native Americans and Spanish invaders. The Spanish were attempting to settle the area. They built forts along the Rio Grande to protect their interests and create an agricultural economy. The changes they made helped create a new culture of subsistence farming for the indigenous peoples.
When Texas joined the Union in 1845 as the 28th state, more interest was generated in Far West Texas. Settlers began arriving in the 1870s, and in 1882, the Southern Pacific Railroad had crossed the Trans-Pecos. The arrival of the railroad brought more activity. Homesteaders, ranchers and mineral prospectors began to populate Big Bend in greater numbers. By the early 20th century, “civilization” had arrived to parts of the area, and a state college was established in Alpine in 1917. Folks who lived in the area were aware of the unique features and history of Big Bend and had the forethought to want to reserve some of it for the purpose of conservation.
One of those individuals who saw the promise of conservation was Everett Townsend. Townsend was a rancher and lawman in the area. Over time, he became enamored with the rugged landscape and was one of the people responsible for the idea of a park in the area. Through his and others’ efforts, the Texas legislature saw the value of a park and, in the 1930s, began a campaign to voice their ideas to federal government. At the same time, the State of Texas began acquiring land in Big Bend and declared Santa Elena, Mariscal and Boquillas Canyons as Texas Canyons State Park. The National Park Service had also begun studies about the viability and acceptability of Big Bend becoming a national park. On June 6, 1944, Texas turned over the deed for the land to the United States, and on June 12, Congress authorized the creation of Big Bend National Park.
Vast Expanse
Today, Big Bend National Park has over 801,000 acres of land, all of which is protected by the National Park Service. Across the area, flora and fauna unique to this corner of the Chihuahuan desert have been found. Scientists have discovered more than 1,200 species of plants, 600 vertebrate species and 3,600 different insects. Success stories stories such as the self-reintroduction of the Mexican black bear help set this park out from other places in the area. The geology of the park is an open book to visitors and scientists who wish to study Earth’s processes. Many unique and world-class fossil discoveries have been made here. Among those discoveries are the Pterosaur, the second largest known flying creature of all time with a 36-foot wingspan and the skull of the triceratopslike Chasmosaurus, the largest known skull of any land animal.
A visit to Big Bend can be as complex as a 12-day river trip or one of the many day hikes marked on the maps. These hikes wind through the desert, reach the tops of mountain peaks and follow the rivers. More experienced hikers can obtain backcountry permits (in person only) and spend the night on the trail. Whether searching for birds, photographing a magnificent sunset, watching the heavens go by at night or riding a horse like a frontier explorer, a trip to Big Bend will reward effort with some awe-inspiring results.
QUICK HISTORY
The National Park Service was established Aug. 25, 1916. There were already several national parks and monuments in existence before the Organic Act of 1916 formally established the service. Forwardthinking individuals saw the need to conserve areas of the United States, because even 100 years ago wild places were disappearing. The act’s stated goal was to “conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” To carry out the mission, the director of the new park service would be paid a whopping $4,500 a year (keep in mind that the 1916 Model T sold for as little as $345). In the years following the signing of the act by Pres. Woodrow Wilson, a 1,200-square-mile piece of Far West Texas eventually became Big Bend National Park.
