The Big Bend Of The Rio Grande

A Guide to the Rocks, Landscape, Geologic History, and Settlers of the Area of Big Bend National Park.

The grandeur, remoteness, rich history, and dramatic ecologic diversity of the Big Bend is dramatically captured in this beautiful collection of intimate photographs. Showcasing rugged landscapes and geological wonders, this celebration of the region includes images of the historic towns and sweeping territory of southern Texas. Capturing the diverse local flora and fauna of the region, this volume illuminates the wonders of nature in new and provocative ways.

"This is a guide for canoeing, kayaking or rafting the section of the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park beginning at Terlingua Creek, the exit point for Santa Elena Canyon, and ending at the bridge at La Linda, the starting point for trips through the Lower Canyons."--Introduction.

Big Bend on the Rio Grande examines the history of Texas's possessive first national park from its origins in the 1930s through developments of the 1980s. It is a story of a unique landscape and its effect on people as well as the impact of human beings on the flora and fauna of a fragile desert environment. The story involves international intrigue and border incidents, conflicts over predators, and visitor and employee experiences in the Lone Star State's last frontier. Other topics include publicity and fund raising campaigns, land acquisition, and development plans for the park. In addition, Big Bend on the Rio Grande provides a revealing case study of an important federal natural resource agency, the National Park Service.