Parks

There is a place in Far West Texas where night skies are dark as coal and rivers carve temple-like canyons in ancient limestone. Here, at the end of the road, hundreds of bird species take refuge in a solitary mountain range surrounded by weather-beaten desert. Tenacious cactus bloom in sublime southwestern sun, and species diversity is the best in the country. This magical place is Big Bend...

Map showing location of park.

Park entrance sign with the words, Big Bend National Park, Mountains and desert hills in the background.

Critical Water Shortage in Chisos Basin, Big Bend National Park

2026-01-03

Big Bend National Park, Texas—On December 23, 2025, the water pumps at Oak Spring failed completely. These pumps supply water to the Chisos Basin developed area from Oak Spring, the only water source for the Chisos Basin. The park immediately enacted Stage 2 water restrictions to conserve the water stored in the Chisos Basin water tanks.

Tourism to Big Bend National Park contributes $56.8 million to local economy

2025-09-30

BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas – A new National Park Service report shows that in 2024, 561 thousand park visitors spent an estimated $56.8 million in local gateway regions while visiting Big Bend National Park. These expenditures supported a total of 585 jobs, $17.3 million in labor income, $34.4 million in value added, and $63.7 million in economic output in local gateway economies surrounding Big Bend National Park.

Big Bend National Park is home to a small population of Desert Bighorn Sheep (left) and hundreds of Aoudad (right).

Wildlife Project Will Temporarily Close Remote Sections of Big Bend National Park

2025-09-22

BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas – In early October, Big Bend National Park will implement targeted management actions to protect native desert bighorn sheep by reducing the population of non-native Barbary sheep (aoudad) within the park. This is a continuation of the park’s annual aoudad management in collaboration with the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD).

A brown building sits on a low hill with moutains rising behind it.

Chisos Basin to Remain Open for Winter 2025 Season

2025-08-20

Construction projects in the Chisos Basin to replace the Chisos Mountains Lodge and the entire water distribution system have a revised start date of May 1, 2026.