Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park covers some 324,471 hectares (801,163 acres) of rough terrain in western Texas. It is roughly a triangle formed where the Rio Grande runs southeast then northeast in a big bend along the U.S.-Mexico border, notably through deep canyons such as the Santa Elena. The river, the Chihuahan desert plain and the Chisos Mountains offer sharp contrasts in wilderness scenery. The park boasts petrified trees, vestiges of prehistoric cultures and several rare forms of animal and plant life. Big Bend National Park was first authorized in 1935, but it was not established until 1944.

Some 160 km (199 miles) to the west is Big Bend Ranch State Park, the largest state park in Texas. It was established in 1988 and covers 116,200 hectares (287,000 acres) in the west of Texas.