Linda Harvey
The club’s speaker series continued in February as we heard from Park Ranger Tom VandenBerg, Chief of Interpretation & Visitor Services at Big Bend National Park (NP). He explained Big Bend NP is located on the Chihuahuan Desert in West Texas in one of the most remote corners of the United States.
The Park is over 800,000 square acres in size with over 200 miles of hiking trails and 300 miles of roads. The Park shares 118 miles of border with Mexico. On June 12, 1944, Big Bend NP was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
As Ranger VandenBerg explained, several geologic processes including volcanic eruptions, continental movement, earthquakes, and erosion have been part of the area’s history. In addition, the area was once covered by a sea as evidenced by the fossils recorded in the limestone. With over 1,200 known fossil species recorded, it has one of the most diverse fossil records in the National Park System. The Fossil Discovery Exhibit in the Park houses the findings.
Big Bend NP is also known for its diversity of living species with over 1,295 types of plants, 450+ species of birds, and 56 species of reptiles. The area was once home to black bears, then they were not seen for years and were considered extinct. Then in the 1980s the black bears returned to the Park on their own and are now frequently seen.
Because of the Park’s remote location and distance from lights, it is designated as a Dark Sky Park. On the Bortle Dark Sky Scale, it has a rating of “One” which is the highest level. It is reported that night sky viewers see more satellites than airplanes.
The Rio Grande River provides more opportunities for exploring. There are several canyons suitable for float trips from one day in length to several days. Depending on the depth of water and the canyon selected, there may be class II to class IV rapids. While there are viewing areas along the river, there is no better way to experience the majesty of the Rio Grande than by boat. Plan ahead for an enjoyable trip.
With all that has been mentioned for things to do and see in Big Bend NP, there are so many other opportunities for exploring this part of the Chihuahuan Desert. Ranger VandenBerg invited our club to visit and experience the endless adventures that await us. The most popular time to visit is October through April. Camping and RVing are available as is the Chisos Mountains lodge at the Park, which is scheduled to undergo some construction this year.
The SBR National Parks Club thanks Ranger Tom VandenBerg for sharing his time and wonderful presentation with us via Zoom.
Upcoming club events include: a BarBQue on April 23, in-person talk by a retired Park Ranger in May, Member Community Sharing from June through August. Check Team Reach and the Monday Reminders for details. For more information about the club, email [email protected].