A big birthday for Big Bend Jun 12, 2019

A big birthday for Big Bend

Seventy-five years ago today, on June 12, 1944, Big Bend officially became a US national park. The park covers more than 800,000 acres in West Texas along the Mexico border. The vast protected area contains mountain, river, and desert ecosystems, including the largest protected area of the Chihuahuan Desert in the United States. But the ‘big’ doesn"t stop there. Big Bend is home to 1,200 species of plants, over 450 species of birds, 75 species of mammals, and 56 species of reptiles. (We"re not sure how many of those are snakes, if you"re wondering.) Because of its remote location, Big Bend also has among the darkest skies ever measured in the contiguous US. So tonight, the only light you"ll likely see is the glow from 75 birthday candles—and a few million stars.

© Grant Ordelheide/Tandem Stills + Motion

palette

Today in History

Jun 12, 2018Celebrating Helsinki’s birthday at the Kiasma Museum
Jun 12, 2020Big sky at Big Bend
Jun 12, 2021In Texas, even the riverbend is big
Jun 12, 2022Big Bend National Park turns 78
Jun 12, 2023Big Bend National Parks birthday
Jun 12, 2024Big Bend National Park anniversary
Jun 12, 2025Big Bend National Park in Texas turns 81
Jun 12, 2026European bee-eater, Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, Cádiz, Spain

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jul 1, 2019It’s Canada’s national day
Oct 22, 2019Bobbing for crab apples
May 29, 2020It s Bermuda s big day
Sep 17, 2023Cuban tody, Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, Cuba
Apr 30, 2021The Spirit of Harlem by Louis Delsarte
Oct 24, 202075 years of the United Nations
Feb 28, 2026Oloupena Falls, island of Molokai, Hawaii
Mar 22, 2021Honoring some real heroes of World War II
Apr 4, 2021A yearly sign that spring has sprung
Dec 25, 2025Merry Christmas!
Apr 22, 2019Meet our fuzzy Earth Day mascot
Oct 31, 2023Halloween
Jul 28, 2019Road-trip worthy attraction in the heartland
Apr 16, 2020Bridges to the past
Aug 30, 2019It s fair season
Mar 20, 2025Spring equinox
May 22, 2025International Day for Biological Diversity
Nov 28, 2018Christmas comes to New York City
Mar 11, 2020Anybody out there?
Nov 5, 2018Ludwig’s palace
Jul 7, 2020Mercury in retrograde
Jan 23, 2020Across the great plains of Africa
Mar 19, 2024Spring equinox
Jun 18, 2025Pollinator Week
Jun 3, 2025World Bicycle Day
Aug 8, 2024Spotted owlet, Bangkok, Thailand
Feb 13, 2019Life goes on at the Beatles Ashram
Sep 19, 2023Splügen Pass, Switzerland
Sep 9, 2021Islands of the Salish Sea
Nov 8, 2024Glacial rivers in Iceland