Big Bend National Park in Texas spans 1,252 square miles of rugged desert, mountains, and the Rio Grande. It is larger than the state of Rhode Island. As the world’s largest International Dark Sky Reserve, “the stars at night are big and bright”. Without walls, the border here dissolves in the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River: kayakers portage freely, wildlife thrives, and communities like Boquillas del Carmen connect across the water.
Big Bend has been a sanctuary for me. Over Easter 2022, I found healing in five nights alone in the Chihuahuan Desert—thriving in 100+ degree heat and lack of cell service. Two years later, I returned for a solo storm chase—rushing 500 miles from Albuquerque to Panther Junction—just to dodge quarter-size hail and capture my first upward lightning over the Chisos Mountains. It was a reminder of Big Bend’s raw, untamed spirit.
A New Threat to Big Bend’s Soul
But even an untamed spirit can need protection. Recent updates on Customs and Border Protection’s “Smart Wall” map reveal an alarming plan: an 109-mile “primary border wall system,” built with steel bollards, stretching along the Rio Grande—excluding only three canyons, notoriously difficult to scale. Until February 13, this section of the border was designated “detection technology” only.
Although the 517-mile Big Bend Sector accounts for just 1% of southern border apprehensions and saw a 74% drop from FY24 to FY25, CBP insists on building a wall along Big Bend’s riverfront—a decision that defies both data and the park’s ecological and cultural significance. The proposed route would slice through historic sites like hot springs and petroglyphs, isolate Rio Grande Village and Boquillas del Carmen, and devastate wildlife—especially endangered species. Recreational opportunities, like fishing and kayaking, would also vanish, replaced by steel and concertina wire.
This project is still in the “planning” phase, but DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s waiver of 28 federal laws fast-tracks this plan. This leaves precious little time to stop irreversible harm before the first steel beam is laid. The stakes are clear: Big Bend is not just a park—it’s an irreplaceable ecosystem and cultural treasure.
Act Now
Contact your representatives—even if you’re out-of-state. Our national heritage is on the line. 202-224-3121
Resources
- Marfa Public Radio: “Trump administration waiving environmental regulations for border walls in Big Bend area” (February 13)
- Marfa Public Radio: Border wall plans now set to include Big Bend National Park (February 16)
- Inside Climate News: “Border Wall Closes in on Big Bend (February 17, reprinted in Texas Tribune on February 23)
- National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA): “Parks Group Responds to Border Wall Policy Changes Impacting Big Bend” (February 18)
- More than Just Parks: “Why the Trump Admin Suddenly Wants to Wall Off Big Bend National Park” (February 27)
- No Big Bend Border Wall
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