Big sky at Big Bend Jun 12, 2020

Seventy-six 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. This vast area—big enough to swallow Rhode Island—contains mountain, river, and desert ecosystems, including the largest protected area of the Chihuahuan Desert in the United States. Far removed from any urban centers and the light pollution that comes with them, Big Bend boasts some of the darkest skies you"ll find in the Lower 48, earning it a designation as an international dark sky park. Even after 76 years, Big Bend still glows.

© Stanley Ford/Shutterstock

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Today in History

Jun 12, 2018Celebrating Helsinki’s birthday at the Kiasma Museum
Jun 12, 2019A big birthday for 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

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