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National Park Service Park News U.S. Department of the Interior The official newspaper of Big Bend National Park & Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River PaisanoPaisanoThe Big Bend Volume 24, No. 1 Winter 2003 J. Blaylock Ruins near the Mariscal Mine Voices from the Past What’s Inside Welcome to Big Bend National Park and the Rio Grande Wild The adobe ruins and graveyards near Castolon tell the story of & Scenic River! Big Bend is one of the largest and least visited early Mexican settlers who perservered to develop a cluster of Welcome...............................2 of America’s national parks. Over 800,000 acres await your farming communities along the Rio Grande. Stop by the Sam Bookstore.............................3 exploration and enjoyment. From an elevation of less Nail or Homer Wilson Ranch to experience the re - than 2,000 feet along the Rio Grande to nearly mains of what were once working ranch proper- Park News.............................4 8,000 feet in the Chisos Mountains, Big Bend ties. A visit to the Mariscal Mine will open your eyes to the difficult lives of early mercury includes massive canyons, vast desert ex- Oral History Project..............5 panses, and the entire Chisos Mountain miners. Glenn Springs, once a tiny village, range. Here, you can explore one of the last made headlines in 1916 when it was attacked Keep Wildlife Wild...............6 remaining wild corners of the United States, and burned by Mexican raiders. and experience unmatched sights, sounds, and Saving Big Bend History.....7 solitude. These are just a few of the abundant historic sites scattered throughout Big Bend National Park. In What To Do?.........................8 While enjoying the park’s world- class scenery and this issue of the Big Bend Paisano, we explore some natural history, make sure that you also take the time of the people and places that highlight the park’s col - Hiking Trails.........................9 to discover some of Big Bend’s rich human history. This orful and engaging human history. We also discover how rugged land has been the backdrop for many distinct cul - the National Park Service is in a race against time to pre - Historic Places....................10 tures and events. Gaze at the faded red pictographs near the serve the memories and legacies of early settlers. For ulti- Mariscal Mine.....................11 Hot Springs, or touch the grinding holes in Boquillas Canyon, mately, the greatest story of Big Bend is not that of canyons, deserts, and scenery, but of people and voices from the past. and you make a connection with some of Big Bend’s earliest General Information..........12 native inhabitants. Backcountry Planning.......13 7 Oral History 8 Touring Guide 9 Big Bend Trails Park Map/Phone #s............14 Safety Tips..........................15 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY Park Rangers are available to pro- vide assistance. Dial 911 or (915) 477-2251 Phones are located at: visitor centers, campgrounds, 911 Camper Stores, and the Chisos Mountains Lodge. K. Tipple A. Pasco A. Bobulescu Superintendent’s Welcome The Big Bend PVolumeaisano 24, No. 1 Welcome Bienvenidos Welcome to Big Bend National Park and the Rio Grande Wild and Bienvenidos al Parque Nacional Big Bend y el Silvestre y Escénico The Paisano, Spanish for roadrunner, is published by the National Park Service and the Big Bend Natural Scenic River, two unique areas of the U.S. National Park System in Río Grande, dos áreas únicas del sistema estadounidense de History Association for the orientation and education of visitors to Big Bend National Park the state of Texas. At over 800,000 acres, Big Bend National Park parques nacionales dentro del estado de Texas. Con un tamaño de encompasses the largest protected area of the Chihuahuan Desert in más de 800,000 acres, el Parque Nacional Big Bend encuadra el área National Park Service the United States. The Chihuahuan Desert is the largest on the protegida más grande del desierto Chihuahuense dentro de los Editor, Tom VandenBerg, Park Ranger North American continent, extending from Old Estados Unidos. El desierto Chihuahuense es el más Chief Naturalist, David Elkowitz Mexico to New Mexico. The Rio Grande is the grande de Norte América, extendiendo de México a Superintendent, Frank J. Deckert major lifeline in this desert and for 1,250 miles Nuevo México. El Río Grande es la fuente de vida along the southern boundary of Texas, it forms the de este desierto, y sobre 1250 millas sirve como la Big Bend Natural History Association Executive Director, Mike Boren international boundary between the United States frontera internacional entre los Estados Unidos y Sales Manager, Sarah Bourbon and Mexico. One hundred ninety-six miles of this México. Ciento noventa y seis millas de este río son Assistant Sales Manager, Barbara Hines section of the Rio Grande have been designated as designados como el Silvestre y Escénico Río Visitor Services Assistant, Anita Johnson the Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River. Grande. The National Park Service was Thousands of visitors already know that winter is Miles de visitantes ya saben que el invierno es uno established on August 25, one of the best times to visit Big Bend. While much de los mejores tiempos para visitar el parque 1916. “to conserve the of the country is often blanketed with extremes of Superintendent Deckert nacional Big Bend. Mientras que la mayoría del scenery and the natural and snow and ice, we revel in Big Bend’s perfect país se congele con hielo y nieve, aquí gozamos del historic objects and the wild- tiempo perfecto. Las noches frías ceden a los días agradables, clima weather. Cold nights give way to warm, pleasant days for exploring life. and to provide for the enjoyment of perfecto para explorar el desierto. También el cielo invernal es lo the desert areas of the park. Winter air masses also bring some of the same in such manner and by such mas claro del año y para los caminantes en las montañas se pueden the year’s clearest air to this region, rewarding high-country hikers means as will leave them unimpaired for gozar de las mejores vistas panorámicas. the enjoyment of future generations.” As with some of the best panoramic vistas that Big Bend has to offer. conservation educators, the Division of Les pido el favor de unir conmigo en la exploración del desierto, las Interpretation provides guided walks, talks, Please join me in exploring the desert, mountains, river canyons, montañas, los cañones ribereños y la amplia historia humana del evening slide programs, workshops, and and rich human history that make up Big Bend National Park. May parque nacional Big Bend. ¡Espero que su visita invernal sea other educational activities as well as your winter visit be an enjoyable, memorable, and safe one. agradable, memorable y segura! written materials such as this newspaper. Experience your America! ¡Conoce su América! The Big Bend Natural History Frank J. Deckert, Superintendent Frank J. Deckert, Superintendente Association, established in 1956 as a private, non-profit organization, champions the Did You Know... mission of the National Park Park animals are wild. Do not feed Service in facilitating popular interpreta- Volunteer Honor Roll or approach any of Big Bend’s wild- tion of the scenic, scientific, and historic life. Enjoy animals at a safe distance and allow values of Big Bend and encourages re- Each year, volunteers contribute thousands of hours to the National them to find their own natural sources of search related to those values. The Asso- Park Service. A vital supplement to paid staff, volunteers bring spe- food. ciation conducts seminars and publishes, cial skills, dedication, and fresh approaches to our work in inter- prints, or otherwise provides books, maps, Do not remove any natural objects from the pretation, visitor protection, maintenance, administration, and and interpretive materials on the Big Bend park, including rocks, cactus, reptiles, and resource management. region. Proceeds fund exhibits, films, fossils. Collecting specimens of any kind or interpretive programs, seminars, museum defacing park features deprives other visitors. activities, and research. Leave everything as you found it for others to Join us in thanking the following individuals and organizations who have recently donated enjoy. If you must collect something, pick up 100 or more hours in volunteer service to Big Bend: On matters relating to this publication: litter! National Park Service Holly Aloi Joan and Jack Lamkin Editor, The Big Bend Paisano, PO Box 129, Barbara and Bill Baldwin Maria Lavender All bicycles, including mountain bikes, must Big Bend National Park, TX 79834 Royann and Royce Brockett Robin Liu remain on paved or unpaved roads. They are [email protected] not allowed on hiking trails or off-road. Sharon and Erwin Drabek Steve McAllister The National Park Service cares for special Sid Fogel Sharon Metzler Motor vehicles must be licensed and street- places saved by the American people so Ginny and Jim Herrick Carol and Bob Schemm legal. All motor vehicles must stay on estab- that all may experience our heritage. Whitney Hibbard Samantha Schroeder lished roadways open to public travel. Ve- Carol and Bob Huber Shirley Stinson hicles are not permitted off-road. EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA Carolyn and LeRoy Kellar Diane Stout It’s Up to You... Mark Kirtley Margaret and Hal Waters National parks have been described as the crown jewels of the United States. While enjoying the beauty of Big Bend National Subscribe The Big Bend Park, please remember that few other na- tions have parks that can compare to those aisano of the United States. They are something to P$ 4.00 per year (3 issues) be proud of. They are something to pre- Name:___________________________ serve. Address:_________________________ Over 300,000 people come to experience City:_____________________________ Big Bend’s deserts, mountains, and canyons each year.