U.S. National Park System

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Further reading

Big Bend National Park

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

Big Bend National Park 801,163 acres (324,471 hectares), W Tex.; authorized 1935, est. 1944. It is 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 Mts. offer sharp contrasts in wilderness scenery. The park has petrified trees, vestiges of prehistoric cultures, and rare forms of animal and plant life. See National Parks and Monuments (table). One hundred miles (160 km) to the west is Big Bend Ranch State Park, the largest Texas state park, established in 1988 and covering 287,000 acres (116,200 hectares).

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Big Bend Ranch State Park

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

Big Bend Ranch State Park Texas: see under Big Bend National Park .

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"Big Bend Ranch State Park." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-E-BigBendStP.html

"Big Bend Ranch State Park." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-E-BigBendStP.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Post-grazing changes of vegetation in Big Bend National Park, Texas: a... Magazine article from: Southwestern Naturalist; 12/1/2010
	A real treasure Texas: At Big Bend National Park, visitors find rugged... Newspaper article from: The Christian Science Monitor; 10/31/2000
	On the prowl: are there jaguarundis in Big Bend National Park? Magazine article from: National Parks; 3/22/2010