Great Finds In Big Bend National Park
For those who don’t know it, among of the most unique national parks, Big Bend National Park, in the country is found in Texas, the Lone Star state. Giving much more than simply cowboys, Mexican cuisine, and the Alamo, the untamed terrain is able to give you a spectacular complement to the intricate rock formations of the park itself. The park was formed millions of years ago when two seas funneled into the area and placed massive amounts of shale and limestone. Activity throughout the fault lines then caused a 40-mile wide trough to sink and the mountains to move up even higher, making cliffs way above the floor of the desert.
Big Bend is a lot more than only rocks and desert sand because it actually supports a whole ecosystem teeming with plant and animals. Tourists will be able to examine the limestone and shale deposits that can be found all through the entire park, or hike through juniper and house pine among the Chisos Mountains. The park is also the place to find mountain lions and bears, along with 450 bird species and 1,200 varieties of plants just to name a few wildlife which live in the park.
The national park obtained its name through a feature of geography, with the Rio Grande making a dramatic loop across the Texas-Mexican border. Big Bend National Park is named for the most popular bend in the horseshoe shape produced by the river. In the last 10,000 years there were many inhabitants of the park, beginning with the American-Indians, more specifically the Apache and the Comanche. Soon after they were followed by the soldiers of the Spanish conquistadors, together with miners and ranchers.
The best time to see Big Bend is in spring and early summer where one will be able to observe the greatest number of birds. Every season does offer its own reasons for visiting, and the park is open year-round, 2 hours a day. In May and October a huge number of species, around 170 or so, flock during this time of the year.
Among the finest attractions to enjoy when going to the national park are the trips that you could take down the Rio Grande. Getting there is only a matter of driving along US 385 which leads right up to the park entrance. The West entrance can also be accessed by Tex. 118 for people arriving from the Alpine.
Want to find out more about Big Bend National Park, then visit Dieter H. Hendrix’s site on how to choose the best Big Bend for your needs.