Why You Should Take a Two-Week Vacation
It’s impossible to fathom the immensity of Big Bend until you see it for itself. This vast tract of wildland is found inside of a “big bend” in the Rio Grand River, which forms the US/Mexico border.
Exactly where you draw the lines between what is and what is not “Big Bend” is a bit of an arbitrary discussion. Of course, most peoples’ minds jump to Big Bend National Park, which covers 801,163 acres on its own. But then, about an hour away, you’ll find Big Bend Ranch State Park. Big Bend Ranch reigns as Texas’s largest state park, which is saying something in a place the size of Texas. This park alone covers an additional 311,000 acres. In between the national park and the state park, there’s a bit of private land, but there are also additional vast swaths of public land that might not technically have the name “Big Bend” attached to it, but still help form the greater Big Bend region.
In short, Big Bend is absolutely mammoth.
The amenities in the region are few and far between. While you can get gas for your vehicle in a few spots, with signs that say things like “last gas for 50 miles” and long stretches of dirt road diversions deep into each of the parks…
