Big Bend Ranch State Park

Photo courtesy of Bruce Coffer
Big Bend Ranch State Natural Area

PO Box 2319
Presidio TX 79845
432/229-3416
Park locator map

Barton Warnock Environmental Education Center
HC 70, Box 375
Terlingua TX 79852
432/424-3327

Fort Leaton State Historic Site
PO Box 2439
Presidio TX 79845
432/229-3613

History: Big Bend Ranch State Park, over 299,008.38 acres of Chihuahuan Desert wilderness, extends along the Rio Grande from southeast of Presidio to near Lajitas in both Brewster and Presidio Counties. It was purchased from private owners in 1988. Embracing some of the most remote and rugged terrain in the Southwest, it encompasses two mountain ranges containing ancient extinct volcanoes, precipitous canyons, and waterfalls.

Flora/Fauna: Big Bend Ranch State Park is home for a tremendous diversity of animal and plant species, including 14 species of bats, several species of hummingbirds, and at least 11 other rare plants and animals, including Hinckley oaks and mountain lions. The park also maintains a small Texas longhorn herd, a remnant of the property's ranching heritage (not a part of the official Texas longhorn herd based at Fort Griffin).

Elevation: 4,149 feet, 1265 meters
Weather: Mild winters October through February, average 80 degrees; hot summers up to the 100s.

Schedule: Open: 7 days a week year-round. Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Check the Calendar for access restrictions.

Directions: The west entrance at Fort Leaton or the BBRSP Complex Office is located 4 miles southeast of Presidio, on the River Road (FM 170). The east entrance at Barton Warnock Environmental Education Center is located 1 mile east of Lajitas on the River Road (FM 170).

Information:

Barton Warnock Environmental Education Center is on the eastern edge of Big Bend Ranch State Park and Fort Leaton State Historic Site is on the western edge.