Suddenly, I hear crashing on my left, and sure enough, there is a big bear running through the woods away from me. It’s my bear! She stops and turns and sits on her haunches and looks, forgive me, just like the Hamm’s Beer commercial bear. What is she doing? Why did she stop? by Dori Ramsay    more »

The synopsis does not reveal the film’s ending but leaves off with the terrorist being ordered to return to Mexico after being contacted by his handlers via satellite phone. Due to resistance from citizens, the terrorist is ordered to abort his mission, and receive codes to disarm the bomb upon his return to Mexico. If he is killed before he receives the disarm codes the nuclear bomb will go off. Far fetched? Maybe not.... by John Waters    more »

It is often said that one function of government is to protect the poor from the rich. Since our present rulers (government) have consistently done the opposite, I agree with Mr. Briggs that we should do away with them, that no government (in this specific case) is better than horribly bad government. But what the Norquist crowd really means is to do away with government except where it benefits the military-industrial complex.   more »

“My husband and my mother did not have a horrid death,” said Jo Tucker, who lives south of Alpine, and experienced the benefits of hospice care from the local team of providers for the death of both her husband and mother. “There was no agony, no pain, no horrid expression – thanks to hospice…. You couldn’t ask for a better team…. They know how to stay one step ahead…. I knew what was going to happen because they told me…. [My husband] could stay at home, look out the window, listen to music he loved.” by Marlys Hersey    more »

"It has been an absolute privilege and pleasure to have served as the Superintendent of Big Bend NP for these past 3 years. There is no better place and there are no better people than what I have encountered while here...."   more »

"The sister park initiative is a good example of how Mexico and the U.S. can create synergies and opportunities of mutual benefit by working collaboratively in the management of natural resources along the border and in other natural protected areas beyond." The seven parks designated under the Declaration of Sister Park Partnerships include: * Big Bend National Park with Maderas del Carmen & Cañón de Santa Elena Flora and Fauna Protected Areas...    more »

We asked you, every one of our readers, to enter our first annual writing contest: Spring Break 101. The call went out: “Tell us a story about your most interesting spring break experience ever – fond, funny, dark, anything in between, from here or elsewhere - in 101 words or fewer!”   more »

A visitor at the hot springs in Big Bend National Park was attacked by a bobcat, emailed a friend. It sounded too weird to be true, yet there on the National Park Service’s website was the official account. by Marlys Hersey    more »

Currently over 160 miles of dirt roads are open to mountain biking, and recently Big Bend National Park was included as a pilot project between the National Park Service (NPS) and the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) to increase off-road mountain biking opportunities. by John Waters    more »

According to Dice, Big Bend was chosen in part because of the feedback IMBA received from park management after being initially contacted by the biking group. “Basically we put the word out to all national parks about the project, and about a dozen replied. Big Bend has such a strong local cycling community, with the private trails in the region and the trails in the state park. Big Bend leapt to the forefront.” by John Waters    more »

One fine Sunday afternoon in mid November, I met this amphibian at Cattail Falls, in Big Bend National Park. I was smitten with it, especially since it was the kind of creature that takes a while to notice, and then, even knowing where it was last on a ledge, every time I turned away and then looked for it again, it would take a little while to find – so small, still, and well-camoflauged. Do you know who this is? by Marlys Hersey    more »

The Texas General Land Office (GLO) plans to auction off the 9,269-acre Christmas Mountains tract in South Brewster County. The parcel, deeded to the state in 1991 from the non-profit Conservation Fund, will be offered to the public for a minimum bid of $370,800 or $40 per acre. by John Waters    more »

Boren has written something, albeit targeting those of a certain age, that seems almost effortless in its complete success. He may have struggled with the dialogue in the privacy of his own home, but no hesitancy, no trepidation has survived to mar the script. by Andy Byrnes    more »

The Big Bend Youth Club (now officially the Boys & Girls Club of Terlingua) finally purchased a 12-passenger van that will be used to take its club members on outings. Since the inception of the club, it has been a primary goal to take the kids out and expose them to various other places....   more »

Just occasionally, people transcend geopolitical, sector and other boundaries to make good news for habitat restoration. When this happens it is something worth celebrating. A case in point is the vast but heretofore little-known El Carmen Corridor on the U.S.-Mexico border. by Talli Nauman    more »

After four months of disagreement amongst the directors about the management and direction of the 2-year-old non-profit organization, a lawsuit was settled via legal mediation on Saturday, October 15, allowing current board members and staff to re-focus their energies on the club’s members and programs.   more »

Entities were on the move the second weekend in October. Tarantulas cross the road, butterflies dart from flower to flower, and vultures wait for that first cold front. And those of us in the Texas Master Naturalist class cover ground in Big Bend National Park and Alpine. by Crystal Allbright    more »

The northern end of the Sierra del Carmen, located at the international border between Mexico and the United States, is a spectacular, pristine environment with deep canyons and great walls that connect it to the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River and Big Bend National Park. This area is home to more than 500 plant species, 400 bird species, 70 mammal species, and 50 types of reptiles and amphibians.   more »

Hipster Terlinguans Erik Walker and Mark Kneeskern ready their multimedia experience for Marfa and the world during Chinati Weekend. by Marlys Hersey    more »