August 15 - 31, 2019
Thursday, August 15
9:30 AM Patio Program - “Who Built the Big Bend?” In 1934, a company of young men took up residence in the remote Chisos Mountains. With only pick axes, shovels, and a dump truck, they began to build a park that now receives 400,000 visitors a year. Who were these young men and what brought them here? Join Ranger T. Coe to learn about the Civilian Conservation Corps and how they helped make Big Bend a national park. Meet at the patio outside the Chisos Mountains Lodge. Wheelchair accessible. 30 minutes.
Friday, August 16
3:30 PM Beat the Heat Program – “Come to Me: The Seductive World of Plants and their Pollinators” What do bats, birds, bees, beetles, and butterflies have in common? They are all pollinators! Join Ranger C. Hoyt to explore the fascinating world of plants and their pollinators. You’ll learn about different types of pollinators and how flowers lure in just-the-right pollinator. Park at Panther Junction Visitor Center; follow the signs to the Community Room behind the Visitor Center. Wheelchair accessible. 1 hour.
Saturday, August 17
3:30 PM Beat the Heat Program – “Big Bend, A 75 Year Retrospective” Big Bend National Park was authorized June 12, 1944. The interest in the area had begun around the turn of the century and culminated in the first National Park in Texas. Join Ranger B. Smith for a look at the story behind the park. Park at Panther Junction Visitor Center; follow the signs to the Community Room behind the Visitor Center. Wheelchair accessible. 1 hour.
Monday, August 19
9:30 AM Guided Walk – “Treasure of the Chisos” The Chisos Mountains provide sanctuary to many plants and animals found nowhere else. Join Ranger T. VandenBerg to discover what makes these mountains special. Meet at the Lost Mine Trailhead. Bring water, a hat, and good walking shoes. 1.5 miles. 1.5 hours.
Friday, August 23
9:30 AM Guided Walk – “Sun, Wind, and Never Enough Rain: Desert Survival for Plants” Over 1200 species of plants grow in Big Bend National Park – an unbelievably high number considering the harsh desert environment. Join Ranger C. Hoyt for a look at the ingenious ways plants have adapted to survive – and even thrive – in the intense sun, moisture-sucking winds, and paltry rainfall. Meet at Dugout Wells, six miles southeast of Panther Junction Visitor Center. Bring water and a hat. ½ mile. 1 hour.
Saturday, August 24
3:30 PM Beat the Heat Program – “Big Bend, A 75 Year Retrospective” Big Bend National Park was authorized June 12, 1944. The interest in the area had begun around the turn of the century and culminated in the first National Park in Texas. Join Ranger B. Smith for a look at the story behind the park. Park at Panther Junction Visitor Center; follow the signs to the Community Room behind the Visitor Center. Wheelchair accessible. 1 hour.
Sunday, August 25
9:30 AM Guided Walk – “The Land Before Prime” Before roads, stores, and delivery trucks, life in the remote Big Bend region meant reliance on yourself, your community, and the desert. Join Ranger J. Jurado to learn about desert plants and how they have been used for centuries for shelter, food, medicine, poison, and survival. Meet at the Panther Junction Visitor Center. ¼ mile walk. Wheelchair accessible. 45 minutes.
Wednesday, August 28
9:30 AM Guided Walk – “Life at the Windmill” The desert may seem to be an impossible place to live but a significant number of living things thrive in this extreme environment. Join Ranger B. Smith for an hour of discovery and exploration into the secret, and not so secret, stories of life at the windmill. Meet at Dugout Wells, six miles southeast of Panther Junction Visitor Center. Bring water and a hat. ¼ mile. 1 hour.
Thursday, August 29
9:30 AM Patio Program - “Who Built the Big Bend?” In 1934, a company of young men took up residence in the remote Chisos Mountains. With only pick axes, shovels, and a dump truck, they began to build a park that now receives over 400,000 visitors a year. Who were these young men and what brought them here? Join Ranger T. Coe to learn about the Civilian Conservation Corps and how they helped make Big Bend a national park. Meet at the patio outside the Chisos Mountains Lodge. Wheelchair accessible. 30 minutes.
