Big Bend National Park News
Showing the last 10 news releases. Click here to visit nps.gov's Big Bend National Park - News section for more.
Storm Damaged Park Roads and Trails Reopen
September 9, 2022 | 7:00 am
Many of the park's primitive dirt roads and a portion of the paved Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive and Lost Mine Trail have reopened following damage from heavy monsoon rains. High water flows are expected this weekend along the Rio Grande.
Storm Damage to Lost Mine and Ross Maxwell Drive
September 3, 2022 | 1:00 pm
On Saturday, heavy rains resulted in damage to both the Lost Mine Trail and Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. The Lost Mine Trail will remain closed until trail crews can repair the damaged section. The Ross Maxwell Drive is now closed south of Mule Ears Overlook until road crews can repair the road and make it safe for vehicle traffic.
Chisos Basin Campground Temporary Closed due to Bear Activity
August 12, 2022 | 10:06 am
UPDATE 9-12: Campground Reopened The Chisos Basin Campground and Chisos Basin Group Campground in Big Bend National Park are closed to public use until further notice.
New Big Bend Trail Welcomes Hikers
August 5, 2022 | 9:00 am
Park visitors now have an additional opportunity to enjoy the wide-open spaces of Big Bend along a brand new hiking trail. The Lone Mountain Trail now offers a moderately challenging 3-mile loop that circumnavigates the base of Lone Mountain, an imposing feature just north of park headquarters at Panther Junction.
Visitor Fatality on Chimneys Trail
July 22, 2022 | 10:00 am
On the evening of July 21, Big Bend National Park received notice of a fatality along the Chimneys Trail. Rangers responded, and a deceased 75-year-old male from Houston was located approximately ½ mile from the trailhead. There was no obvious cause of death.
Closure of the Window Trail in the Chisos Mountains
July 17, 2022 | 9:00 am
Effective immediately, the Window Trail in the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park is closed to public use until further notice. This emergency closure is due to significantly increased bear activity in the narrow trail corridor.
Big Bend National Park Donates Wildland Fire Engine to Town of Marathon, Texas
July 11, 2022 | 9:51 am
On Thursday July 7, 2022, Big Bend National Park’s surplus Wildland Fire Engine 864 was transferred to the Marathon Fire Department. Engine 864 is a 2011 Ford F-550 that is classified as a Type 6 Wildland Fire Engine, designed for use in rural settings and used in initial attack on wildfires
Researchers Rediscover Oak Tree Thought to Be Extinct
July 8, 2022 | 1:34 pm
Researchers from a coalition of institutions have identified a living specimen of an oak that was presumed extinct for more than a decade: Quercus tardifolia (Q. tardifolia). The tree in Big Bend National Park in Texas is in dire condition, facing fungal infection and elevated fire risk due to climate change. Work is underway in collaboration with the National Park Service to reduce immediate threats.
Tourism to Big Bend National Park Creates $61 Million in Economic Benefits
June 30, 2022 | 3:33 pm
BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, TEXAS – A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 581,220 visitors to Big Bend National Park in 2021 spent over $53 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 726 jobs in the area and had a cumulative benefit to the West Texas economy of $61 million.
Verdict in Child Endangerment Case
June 27, 2022 | 4:56 pm
Last week a federal jury found Hector Flores Jr. of Fort Stockton, TX guilty of one count of endangerment of a child. This case began in Big Bend National Park in January 2022 when National Park Rangers found an abandoned vehicle and a initiated a search for Flores and a nine-year-old child.