Big sky at Big Bend Jun 12, 2020

Big sky at Big Bend

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

palette

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

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Apr 7, 2020Once in a pink moon
Aug 31, 2025Scotts Bluff National Monument, Gering, Nebraska
Mar 2, 2022Mount Rainier National Park
May 7, 2024A duckling swimming in a water meadow, Suffolk, England
May 24, 2026European Day of Parks
Jun 25, 2022Brown bears, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Jul 2, 2023Its Halfway Day!
Feb 7, 2019A wonder in winter
Jan 3, 2022Lick Observatory
Jun 18, 2025Pollinator Week
Aug 16, 2021Let s ride! It s Roller Coaster Day
Apr 30, 2023International Jazz Day
Jan 6, 2019A winter wonderland in Northeast China
Dec 16, 2022Atlanta Botanical Garden
Sep 9, 2021Islands of the Salish Sea
Jan 11, 2024Eurasian lynx
Jun 26, 2022Pride 2022
Mar 18, 2018Christmas Tree Point Road and Twin Peaks, San Francisco
Jul 10, 2023A field of English lavender
Nov 12, 2023Diwali
May 4, 2019Visiting Ahch-To on Star Wars Day
Jan 15, 2025Anniversary of the British Museum
Aug 31, 2020At the shore of an inland sea
Oct 25, 2025Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
Mar 10, 2019In praise of the pipes
Mar 22, 2019Fresh water on the Silk Road
Feb 1, 2020Mapping courage in the Seventh Ward
Oct 1, 2024Yosemite National Park anniversary
Jun 30, 2020We re gonna need a bigger birdhouse
Aug 12, 2022World Elephant Day