New Maps of Big Bend

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Details: Created on Thursday, 15 September 2011 15:30; Published on Thursday, 15 September 2011 15:30; Written by Abe Connally

The USGS (US Geological Survey) has released a new geological map for the Big Bend National Park area. Nature and rock enthusiasts, as well as historians and geologists will likely jump at this opportunity to explore the preserved geology found in the Chisos Mountains and Chihuahua Desert. Are you among them?

It's been over 40 decades since the original geologic map was released. The new map has several advantages. It is completely digital, which means you can download it here for free. The beautiful and detailed information in these maps will make any fan of Big Bend gain new appreciation for what's beneath the surface. The USGS map store will also be selling copies of the map in print, if that's better for you. USGSMap

New Map System

If you're into maps, but not so much into rocks, you may be much more interested in the Visit Big Bend Map System. It is an online map tool that allows you to use GPS and Google Maps to find your way around. Whether you're planning a trip or viewing the scenery from above, this tool can be very useful. Here are some features that may be extra-impressive to you:

It's online, so there is no software download
You can link to and share points from the map
You can download the points for viewing in Google Earth.
You can view external layers, like Flickr photos and weather information on the map.

The VBB map system is a nice mapping tool that can help you deal with lots of data at the same time, save it all and access it any time you want online.

VBB Interactive Map

Worth a Thousand Words

There are some views you just can't take in all at once. Like a dazzling sunset or breathtaking field of wildflowers—you just can't appreciate such beauty in the moment, a moment that is often over before you realize it, the forms and colors of that marvelous vista already fading in your memory. Perhaps it was with the goal of preserving such scenes that the first camera was invented, a goal that you may still share when you visit a place as beautiful as Big Bend and the surrounding area. Why not take a look through our new and improved photo galleries to see what amazing sights have been preserved by astounded visitors and appreciative locals? When you see the mountains, plains, flora, and fauna displayed in those images, you'll be glad the gallery contributors took their camera along.

Birding in Big Bend

Among the many activities available in Big Bend National Park that highlight the region's diversity of wildlife, birding can be enjoyable and promising. Big Bend engulfs a vast area, bounded by the the rushing Rio Grande valley to the south, containing high peaks in the Chisos Mountains, and boasting both desert and forest climates between the two. It embodies the very diversity that makes America great, providing countless opportunities to spot more than 450 birds in one area.

Your Big Year is Here

What are your new year's resolutions for 2012? Did you keep your resolutions for 2011? While the top resolutions each year include losing weight, learning something new, traveling, or getting out of debt, here's a new challenge you can take on this year: spot all the bird species in Big Bend National Park.

Big Bend Video Collections

Big Bend has some of the most spectacular scenery in Texas, if not the entire US. Our big sky country rivals any other state and our night skies are as dark as anywhere for excellent star gazing. The beautiful light and great scenery make for a photographer’s paradise.

Trails and Wildlife

There are many things you may love to do in Big Bend National Park in the heat of summer, but running or jogging is probably not one of them. With 90+ degree temperatures, there simply is no such thing as a nice July run in West Texas. With the dry weather we've had this year, you have truly hostile workout conditions. That all changes this time of year, though, as temperatures drop and the sun gives us a break for a few months. What a great time to get out on some trails in Big Bend!

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