Photos top to bottom: Santa Elena Canyon/Rio Grande River, Colima Warbler, Summer Tanager, Mexican Black Bear
Located in West Texas, Big Bend ranks #1 among U.S. National Parks in:
- Annual # of bird species – 452
- Cacti – 65 species; including 10 species of Prickly Pear and 7 of Cholla
- Bats – 19 species
- Acreage of Chihuahuan Desert preserved – 708,000 acres
- Southernmost Mountain Range in the U.S. – the Chisos Mountains
On a recent Naturalist Journey that I led there, we:
- Saw 165 species of birds and 14 species of animals
- Hiked 10 miles to see the Colima Warbler (the only place in the U.S. to see it)
- Drank 5 bottles of water per person on the hike
- Were enchanted by the richness of scenery, flora and fauna
Remarkably, this scenic, historic, and biologically diverse gem of a National Park is one of the least visited in the United States! You can experience it by signing up for next year’s Naturalist Journey Tour in late April – early May 2012.
Visit: http://www.naturalistjourneys.com
