r/BigBendTX

I posted this as a response to someone asking about hiking and I feel like it deserves its own post.

This is a frank warning about this area from a long time local. We don't want you to die here. It happens to often

You tourists are insane hiking here in the afternoon of summer. Seriously.

Every single summer tourists die from the heat, with MANY needing to be rescued. About 2 years ago we lost a father from East Texas, his son, and his other son has burns down into the muscle from sitting on a rock with his deceased brother. Son got heat stroke, Dad got it trying to get help and drove off a cliff from disorientation.

A few months ago a "very fit" 65 yo male tourist died of a heart attack biking with his group. There is NO MEDICAL CARE HERE. The closest real hospital is Odessa or El paso. Big bend will TRY to stabilize you and then fly you out.

I'm very fit and live here and just tending to the animals on my ranch gets me close to heat exhaustion after 2 hours.

And just know, there is ONE ambulance in Terlingua and the park doesn't have ALS providers for their ONE ambulance. So keep in mind that when they have to spend HOURS trying to save you (it's well over an hour from the fire station to the most accessable areas in the park) because you thought July/August in one of the most unforgiving climates and terrain was a great idea, you have now taken out of service the ONLY ambulance for the entire south county. One ambulance is responsible from the checkpoint south. So think about how you will feel if someone else dies because of your poor decision.

Plus you are putting well over a dozen first responders at risk. It takes 8 responders to carry you out, and 8 to relieve them. Plus the initial crew that fast hikes (think almost runs - in that heat) to your location to assess you. Plus the ambulance crew.

A rolled ankle warrants the same response, and can also turn deadly from the heat. You didn't plan to have to have an additional 2-3 hours worth of water to wait for responders.

The trailheads have cameras so they can see who didn't come back out because it happens so often.

Please take a realistic look at your health and fitness level. Walking around parks in central/East Texas is NOTHING like big bend in the summer. If you workout, hard, outside, several days a week, maybe.

Enjoy hiking here. Bring a satellite phone to call for a rescue.

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** BigBendComments@cbp.dhs.gov **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!

View Poll

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).

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

What are some good places to eat around the park or surrounding area? Breakfast and dinner recommendations.

Did Big Bend River Tours close down? Their reservations line goes to a fake gift card purchasing service and the main line just rings. Their site lists available backroads tours, but there is no way to book them.

Would love to visit, mostly for scenery and stargazing. Light walking or close exploring but really would just love to see the skies.