Big Bend Ranch State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Big Bend Ranch |
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Solitario Peak (4786 ft), a prominent geologic feature of The Solitario, a collapsed laccolith
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 Big Bend Ranch
Location in Texas
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| Location | Presidio / Brewster counties |
| Nearest town | Presidio, Texas |
| Area | 311,000 acres (125,857 ha) |
| Established | 1988 |
| Governing body | Texas Parks and Wildlife |
| Website | Texas Parks and Wildlife |
Big Bend Ranch State Park is a huge park in Texas, covering about 311,000 acres (126,000 hectares). It's the biggest state park in Texas! You can find it along the Rio Grande river in Brewster and Presidio counties. The park's main office is in the nearby town of Presidio, Texas.
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Exploring Big Bend Ranch
Big Bend Ranch is right next to Big Bend National Park. Both parks share the amazing Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem. But there's a cool difference: Big Bend Ranch is also a working cattle ranch! Here, longhorn cattle roam freely, just like in the old days. Sometimes, the park even has a longhorn roundup.
The park has about 23 miles (37 km) of riverfront along the Rio Grande. This makes rafting a super popular activity. Away from the river, you can go hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, or mountain biking in the park's wild areas. The park is open all year, but you'll need to pay a small fee to enter.
Plants of the Desert
The park is mostly covered in desert plants. You'll see lots of lechuguilla and grama grass. Other common plants include sotol, ocotillo, and mesquite trees. Near the Rio Grande and around springs, you might find reeds, willows, and cottonwood and ash trees. The park is also home to most of the world's Hinckley oak trees, which are very rare.
Animals of Big Bend Ranch
You can spot many animals in the park. Look for gray foxes, desert cottontail rabbits, and mule deer. You might also see coyotes, kangaroo rats, and collared peccary (which look a bit like wild pigs). There are many types of birds, like ravens, owls, woodpeckers, and the famous greater roadrunner.
Some rarer animals live here too. Keep an eye out for cougars, golden eagles, bobcats, and peregrine falcons. The park is also working to bring back the desert bighorn sheep.
Amazing Waterfalls
Big Bend Ranch is home to Madrid Falls, which is the second highest waterfall in Texas! It's a bit tricky to get to because of the rough land around it, but it's a beautiful sight.
Park Activities and Conservation
Many companies near the park offer guided tours of the Rio Grande River. Most of these tours start from Terlingua, Texas. They offer fun rafting and canoe trips, guided hikes, and tours into the park's backcountry. These trips teach you about the area's history, amazing geology, and the different plants and animals that live there.
In 2008, a group called The Nature Conservancy of Texas bought a piece of land called Fresno Ranch. This land was inside the state park's boundaries. They planned to give it to the state park so it could become part of the park for everyone to enjoy.
A big conservation effort happened in 2011. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department moved 29 desert bighorn sheep to the Bofecillos Range within the park. The goal was to help these sheep create a new, healthy population in the park. The last wild bighorn sheep in Texas had disappeared around 1958. This project helps bring them back!
Images for kids
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Solitario Peak (4786 ft), a prominent geologic feature of The Solitario, a collapsed laccolith
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Closed Canyon entrance
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Madrid Falls, the second highest waterfall in Texas
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Dark Canyon on the Rio Grande River
