Big Bend National Park is the last great wilderness area of Texas. It is one of the few places where geological processes are so clearly shown that an untrained person can begin to understand them. The Chisos Mountains, in the park, were created by volcanic action from 60 million to 40 million years ago and by the later action of erosion. Boquillas, Mariscal, and Santa Elena canyons reveal geological history for the past 100 million years. Fossil trees millions of years old are found in the park. Relics of an ancient cave dweller civilization and of the later Comanche Indians have been found by archaeological expeditions to the park area. Vast stretches of desert land surround the Chisos Mountains. Animal life in the park includes mountain lions, collared peccaries, and the tiny Carmen Mountains white-tailed deer. The park is known for its many species of bats, birds, and cacti.
The park was created in 1944, after Texas donated the land to the federal government. It was named for the abrupt change in the direction of the Rio Grande on the park’s southern boundary. For area, see National Park System (table: National parks) .
