Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National park covers over 1250 square miles of territory in the southwestern area of Texas. Formed along the Rio Grande River, the river that forms the border between Mexico and Texas, Big Bend National Park is one of the most protected national parks in America, due in large part to its illustrious history and its geological resources. Despite its hot climate that can climb to over 100°F during the harsh summers, Big Bend National Park houses over 1000 different species of plants and over 500 species of animals. Though constricted in size by the Rio Grande border with Mexico Big Bend National Park's nearly untouched resources serve as a great park with plenty to offer tourists with its many features, including backpacking trails for hitchhikers.

With six nations controlling its territory in the past, Texas offers a large amount of history. Big Bend National Park proves to be rich in history and even has archeological evidence that dates all the way back to 7000 BC. Because of this archeological history and history of life on the American frontier, United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt set aside what is now Big Bend National Park to allow the untouched resources serve as a recreational center for Americans. One week after US and British troops landed in Normandy in 1944 Big Bend officially gained national park status, and its history and natural recreational spots would be preserved for the American public.

Among the plentiful recreational spots are various natural hot springs. Located along the Rio Grande, the natural hot springs serve as a tourist attraction and were even turned into a spa resort in order to promote health benefits to the tourists at Big Bend. Another major feature that also helped it to gain national park status is the large amount of paleontological research that occurs within it. Big Bend houses the fossilized remains of nearly one hundred prehistoric reptile species, including dinosaurs and pterosaurs as well as early types of crocodiles. Big Bend's status as a national park federally protects these fossils and makes them property of the US government.