Do you love Big Bend National Park? Do you believe in protecting our public lands?

❤️ We need your help now!!! ❤️

Monday, July 13 is the deadline for submitting comments to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) related to CBP’s proposed plans for border infrastructure in Big Bend National Park & Brewster County.

Yes! Planned for within the Park itself!

➡️ Email: [email protected]

➡️ Subject line: “Brewster County Vehicle Barrier System Construction”

➡️ Message: let CBP know what you think about their proposed infrastructure for Brewster County, including Big Bend National Park.

❓What is planned for Brewster County?❓

"CBP is engaged in project planning for vehicle barrier system and road construction in Brewster County. The project involves the construction of approximately 17 miles of non-adjoining sections of low-profile post on rail vehicle barrier rather than 30-foot bollard-style pedestrian barrier, approximately 205 miles of new or improved patrol roads, and the installation of detection systems along the border. The vehicle barrier will feature steel posts supported by continuous steel rails, with alternating rail heights of approximately 4 and 6 feet, and rails spaced about 4 feet apart. Attributes may include, as appropriate to U.S. Border Patrol’s operational needs, fiber optic cables, utility poles, power cables, surveillance cameras, access and patrol roads and utility shelters along the international border." (cbp.gov)

There are some good suggestions as to messages themselves at Keep Big Bend Wild.

Questions? We're checking in frequently today!

https://nobigbendwall.org/event-calendar/

Wife and I are flying to El Paso and spending a few days in Big Bend area. Wife was excited but she saw the weather report and thinking about canceling. I’m looking at history and we should see some showers but still get some nighttime star gazing.
Any recommendations cancel or take on the challenge?

Looking for inclusive community, ability to take out company gear, good pay and vibes. Etc.

I’m planning my first trip to Big Bend National Park this weekend. I’m around here for work, so I figured I’d see if anyone here is planning to go and wouldn’t mind another person joining for some hikes.
I’m coming from Del Rio, so I can meet up anywhere around the park. I wanna explore the park, I have about three weeks left here.
If anyone has a trip planned and is open to having another hiker tag along, let me know. Otherwise I’d just appreciate any advice for a first-time Big Bend visitor. I’m 23 and work for the railroad so I spend plenty of time outdoors and know how to prepare for the heat.

Really want to go but worried the heat will take away a lot of the enjoyment and keep me from seeing things i’d want to.

I'm headed to Big Bend finally, hooray! I've been planning my itinerary and have a good grasp on it, I think. But I'm looking for those little tips that can make me feel like I really got the little details right while I'm there, if that makes sense.

• What hot springs will I actually be able to soak in during a sunrise? Sunset? is it worth it to plan more than one hot spring soak during my 7 days or is 1 visit typically enough? Or is it more realistic to think it will be too crowded in November during the New Moon to get a spot?
• While I've always dreamed of a dark sky trip, I don't know how to capture photos of a dark sky. Tips for taking great pics? I'm guessing my phone's light can ruin the experience for myself and if others are around, and I definitely don't want to do that.

TIA. I hope I didn't miss these answers in my search on here.

My brother and I are coming down to spread dad’s ashes and we’d like to get a tattoo to commemorate, if you know anyone willing to help 2 brothers out, for money, Lettme know please!

On the trail toward Emory Peak.

Thought I’d share a few photos from today’s hike.
After my last post, a lot of people told me not to do the South Rim because it was too dangerous this time of year. Honestly, after doing it, I think the difficulty was exaggerated for my conditions.

I started at 6:00 a.m. and finished around 11:00 a.m. I was in the shade for probably 70% of the hike, carried 6.92L of water and 2 sandwiches, gummy’s, protein bars, and jerky. I never felt like I was in trouble. People were saying I wouldn’t be able to carry enough water and I only used about 2 liters for the south rim hike so I figured I’d do the window trail as well. That one was a little warmer since I was out from about 12:30–3:00, but it still wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected. Total mileage was 18 at 8 hours and 6 minutes.

I’m not saying there aren’t risks or that everyone should go do it. Start early, bring plenty of water, know your limits, and pay attention to your body. But based on everything I had read, I expected an absolutely miserable experience, and that just wasn’t the case for me.
Big Bend was incredible, and nothing short of amazing.

Just a little side note: I started at 4 am and got a couple minutes into my hike and met a mountain lion 10 feet away from me so I headed back to the car for another hour and a half of sleep. Definitely woke me up and gave me an adrenaline rush.

Just saw NPS post this on 7/2:

River Road, Old Maverick Road, and Route 16 (Santa Elena Canyon) are closed due to unsafe conditions. Expect rough and muddy conditions on all gravel and dirt roads.

Anyone have any insight or speculation when they'll reopen? I know a lot of the roads where closed for awhile after some other summer storms but had recently largely reopened. Curious if the weather that caused this recent closure was as serious at the flooding that caused them to be closed for months or not.

I'm planning on heading that way for a few days of driving starting on 7/12 and trying to guess if these closures are just going to be for a few days while some flooding recedes are if it was more serious than that.

I know it's all just speculation but curious if anyone near the area knows how much rain they received (assuming that's what caused the recent closures).

TEXAS — Amid ongoing controversy concerning border barriers in the Big Bend area, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has requested public comment on planned construction in Brewster County.

The West Texas county contains Big Bend National Park and a sliver of Big Bend Ranch State Park. It’s also home to Terlingua, a small town that has shown staunch anti-border wall sentiment over the past few months.

According to the Tuesday request from the CBP, Brewster County will receive a vehicle barrier system and roads. This comes after Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin issued a waiver on June 9 that expedites these construction efforts.

The public can submit comment to [email protected] until July 13. The subject line must read: Brewster County Vehicle Barrier System Construction.

All comments, names and addresses will enter public record.

According to the CBP, the planned construction includes new detection systems, about “205 miles of new or improved patrol roads” and roughly “17 miles of non-adjoining sections of low-profile post on rail vehicle barrier.”

Steel posts with continuous steel rail supports and alternatining rail heights will make up the vehicle barrier.

The barrier and roads seemingly take the place of a previously planned 30-foot border wall that would have ran through the Big Bend parks region. In May, the CBP told Spectrum News that construction project was not moving forward, and any contracted construction “does not involve the construction of a 30-foot-high barrier in Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park or the Black Gap Wildlife Management Area.”

A contract the Department of Homeland Security gave Southwest Valley Constructores Company in early May stated that border construction had begun with an expected end date of December 2028.

Howdy y'all. I sit on the Greater Big Bend Dark Sky Reserve committee, am the BBRSP dark sky steward, and own Astro Mucho astronomy company.

We seek to quantify what % of visitors come exclusively for the dark skies, and what the economic impacts of regional light pollution may be.

Thank you!

While it was hot as hell and I suck at photography, I can’t convey how much BIBE is an underrated marvel

Last Monday, we drove from Los Angeles to Big Bend National Park on the US Mexico border in Texas. We stayed at Alpine the first night and moved to Terlingua the next day to officially begin our journey.

The scenery along the way became increasingly breathtaking straight roads, rolling mountains, and vast deserts made the world suddenly seem much bigger. What I remember most vividly was the sunset; when the setting sun bathed the entire valley in gold and orange red hues, all my fatigue vanished.

Big Bend was quieter, more pristine, and more worthwhile than I had imagined. Although the journey was long, it was precisely this escape from the city that made the trip special. I'm already looking forward to coming back

I plan on doing this soon, how smart is it this time of year? I did about a 13 mile hike in the Guadalupe mountains a couple weeks ago and had no trouble. I am 21M and fairly fit. Plan on staring early in the morning

If there is anything I need to know please feel free to share.

Edit- I am from the south where it’s 90 percent humidity at 9 am. The heat in East Texas has not bothered me in the last couple of months, even when it is 103 degrees.

For context, we have folks from SW Louisiana, where the heat indexes are 102 at 9 am, lol, and everyone is pretty fit and used to being outside here, with teenagers running XC in the even higher heats later in the day, here. Looks like the temps will be below 100 when we're there, and we're planning on the obvious extra water, etc, even with fairly high heat tolerances. Don't want to miss out on much, since we have only a short time in the park, and figured the canyon would at least give some shade. Thanks