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Big Bend National Park
How Big is it?

Big Bend versus ....
Visitors often ask us how Big Bend compares in size to the other National Parks. Here’s the rundown of the top 20 as of January 1, 2005:

  1. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, Alaska - 13,175,901 acres
  2. Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve, Alaska - 8,472,506 acres
  3. Denali National Park & Preserve, Alaska - 6,075,030 acres
  4. Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska - 4,093,229 acres
  5. Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Alaska - 4,030,025 acres
  6. Death Valley National Park, California & Nevada - 3,372,402 acres
  7. Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Alaska - 3,283,246 acres
  8. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana & Idaho - 2,219,791 acres
  9. Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska - 1,750,717 acres
  10. Everglades National Park, Florida - 1,508,538 acres
  11. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona - 1,217,403 acres
  12. Glacier National Park, Montana - 1,013,572 acres
  13. Olympic National Park, Washington - 922,651 acres
  14. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park, California - 865,952 acres
  15. Big Bend National Park, Texas - 801,163 acres
  16. Joshua Tree National Park, California - 789,866 acres
  17. Yosemite National Park, California - 761,266 acres
  18. Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska - 669,983 acres
  19. Isle Royale National Park, Michigan - 571,790 acres
  20. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee & North Carolina - 521,776 acres

1855 map of the Big Bend region  

Did You Know?
First Lieutenant William H. C. Whiting, leader of the first topographical survey through Texas in 1849 is credited as being the first to use the name "Big Bend" in reference to the distinctive curve of the Rio Grande.
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Last Updated: July 25, 2006 at 00:23 EST