NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Foundation Document Big Bend National Park Texas May 2016 Foundation Document Unpaved road Trail Ruins S A N 385 North 0 5 10 Kilometers T Primitive road Private land within I A Rapids G 0 5 10 Miles (four-wheel-drive, park boundary O high-clearance Please observe landowner’s vehicles only) BLACK GAP rights. M WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA Persimmon Gap O U N T A Stillwell Store and RV Park Graytop I N S Visitor Center on Dog Cany Trail d o a nch R 2627 TEXAS Ra a u ng Te r l i 118 Big Bend Dagger Mountain Stairway Mountain S I National Park ROSILLOS MOUNTAINS E R R A DAGGER Camels D r Packsaddle Rosillos e FLAT S Hump E v i l L I Mountain Peak i E R a C r R c Aqua Fria A i T R B n A Mountain o A e t CORAZONES PEAKS u c lat A L ROSILLOS gger F L S Da O L O A d RANCH ld M R n G a Hen Egg U O E A d l r R i Mountain T e T O W R O CHRI N R STM I A Terlingua Ranch o S L L M O a e O d d n U LA N F a TA L r LINDA I A N T G S Grapevine o d Fossil i a Spring o Bone R R THE Exhibit e Balanced Rock s G T E L E P d PAINT GAP l H l RA O N n SOLITARIO HILLS i P N E N Y O a H EV ail C A r Slickrock H I IN r LL E T G Croton Peak S S Mountain e n Government n o i I n T y u Spring v Roys Peak e E R e le n S o p p a R i Dogie h C R E gh ra O o u G l n T Mountain o d e R R A Panther Junction O A T O S Chisos Mountains r TERLINGUA STUDY BUTTE/ e C BLACK MESA Visitor Center Basin Junction I GHOST TOWN TERLINGUA R D Castolon/ Park Headquarters T X o o E MADERAS Maverick Santa Elena Chisos Basin Road a E 118 r E D T n d R I Mountain Junction i llo E M N DEL CARMEN Panther Peak E L N R S Lost Mine U Chisos Basin N T d Trail C PROTECTED AREA 170 Maverick Pummel Peak a re S The Window o Junction V k R Sam Nail Lost Mine Peak ek T Dugout Wells A e C LAJITAS e k Ranch r ic Can B L A C r k Visitor Center e yo in n Nugent A L e e P v BURRO MESA La Noria E R Barton Warnock Museum e Casa Grande Trail S a Chisos Mountains Lodge Mountain a r Tule Y I M Environmental Education Center u C J u N M Mountain g n (Big Bend Ranch State Park) d Burro Mesa Toll ip E n a i d ave a Emory Peak Mtn e N l J lin l W Pouroff r o r a C s T R O h M r a E S e M a n T U A I i g N D R l y Ore Terminal N D ic rive o n IT E en H n i Trail O Luna's Jacal c S T S r Y E A O U N N T S ) p N eys ra p I B A M D n il Sotol Vista o S Rio Grande C A im Dodson T Lo O S G o r Peña Ch l k ail untain T A S l ee Mo Overlook L E U r ter N n Q I L m u U T Mountain e C O Chilicotal Mountain X I ( n A a Homer U L e l I T A w Goat Wilson O l Boquillas Canyon C A E x M G Overlook O S e a Mountain Ranch Ri Santa Elena Blu Daniels o Canyon Trail M BOQUILLAS DEL CARMEN Gr Ranch S an s Hot Springs A N d Dorgan House s BIG BEND NATIONAL G PARK TA EL e Cerro o l Rio Grande Village E R en N Trail TUFF d n A Castellan Mule Ears a S Elephant Tusk S Visitor Center NYON O o p C A CANYON Spring R r S i I p n st a g Ea Castolon H Dominguez G Santa Elena Mule Ears Peaks Talley d R a C Mountain o Mountain o SAN VICENTE River Access a R k d c Cottonwood A Mariscal r a R e Visitor Center R l SANTA E Mine v I B i S ELENA A R E L Triangulation A D T M Station P U N A S Mountain R I I S E R C iv R e r A Ro L R C ad A E W M e il R SANTA ELENA CANYON Tra Solís s O R t n U o D y O N n a E T PROTECTED AREA C A s s I D N o r n S C E o y A n L a N UN n IT TAT C ED S E o Mar l is V y l A S ca i l n a Ca r a U c V E T Ri s m i I O r I N M C EXIC Ma T E E HIHUAH N OAHUILA C C T E Big Bend National Park Contents Mission of the National Park Service 1 Introduction 2 Part 1: Core Components 3 Brief Description of the Park 3 Park Purpose 5 Park Significance 6 Fundamental Resources and Values 7 Other Important Resources and Values 9 Interpretive Themes 10 Part 2: Dynamic Components 11 Special Mandates and Administrative Commitments 11 Assessment of Planning and Data Needs 11 Analysis of Fundamental Resources and Values 11 Analysis of Other Important Resources and Values 43 Identification of Key Issues and Associated Planning and Data Needs 46 Planning and Data Needs 48 Part 3: Contributors 58 Big Bend National Park and Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River 58 NPS Intermountain Region 58 NPS WASO, Park Planning and Special Studies 58 NPS Denver Service Center - Planning 58 Appendixes 59 Appendix A: Enabling Legislation and Legislative Acts for Big Bend National Park 59 Appendix B: Traditionally Associated Tribes 65 Appendix C: Inventory of Special Mandates and Administrative Commitments 66 Appendix D: Past and Ongoing Park Planning and Data Collection Efforts 73 Foundation Document Big Bend National Park Mission of the National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world. The NPS core values are a framework in which the National Park Service accomplishes its mission. They express the manner in which, both individually and collectively, the National Park Service pursues its mission. The NPS core values are: · Shared stewardship: We share a commitment to resource stewardship with the global preservation community. · Excellence: We strive continually to learn and improve so that we may achieve the highest ideals of public service. · Integrity: We deal honestly and fairly with the public and one another. · Tradition: We are proud of it; we learn from it; we are not bound by it. · Respect: We embrace each other’s differences so that we may enrich the well-being of everyone. The National Park Service is a bureau within the Department of the Interior. While numerous national park system units were created prior to 1916, it was not until August 25, 1916, that President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act formally establishing the National Park Service. The national park system continues to grow and comprises more than 400 park units covering more than 84 million acres in every state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. These units include, but are not limited to, national parks, monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails, and the White House. The variety and diversity of park units throughout the nation require a strong commitment to resource stewardship and management to ensure both the protection and enjoyment of these resources for future generations. The arrowhead was authorized as the official National Park Service emblem by the Secretary of the Interior on July 20, 1951. The sequoia tree and bison represent vegetation and wildlife, the mountains and water represent scenic and recreational values, and the arrowhead represents historical and archeological values. 1 Foundation Document Introduction Every unit of the national park system will have a foundational document to provide basic guidance for planning and management decisions—a foundation for planning and management. The core components of a foundation document include a brief description of the park, as well as the park’s purpose, significance, fundamental resources and values, other important resources and values, and interpretive themes. The foundation document also includes special mandates and administrative commitments, an assessment of planning and data needs that identifies planning issues, planning products to be developed, and the associated studies and data required for park planning.