Big Bend National Park lies in which North American desert?

Big Bend National Park lies in the Chihuahuan Desert. The park occupies more than 800,000 acres in far West Texas along the Rio Grande, which forms much of its southern boundary beside Mexico.

Big Bend protects the largest area of Chihuahuan Desert topography and ecology in the United States. Its landscape is more varied than the word “desert” might suggest: broad shrublands, limestone grasslands, river habitats and the forested Chisos Mountains all occur within the park. Elevation ranges from about 1,800 feet near the river to 7,832 feet at Emory Peak.

The Rio Grande has carved dramatic canyons through the desert, including Santa Elena, Mariscal and Boquillas canyons. Water along the river and in desert springs creates pockets of unusually rich habitat. More than 1,200 plant species, 450 bird species, 75 mammal species and 56 reptile species have been recorded in the park.

Congress enabled the park’s creation in 1935, and Big Bend officially became a national park on June 12, 1944. Its Chihuahuan setting also explains why it should not be confused with Arizona’s Sonoran Desert or the Mojave farther west.