Big Bend National Park, Texas: Even Texans Can't Overstate its Beauty

Grapevine Hills was excluded from Wilderness study area zoning because it's home to a large landfill and was slated for a lodge, which was never built. The east side of this 20,000-acre plot of land is pristine and offers great rolling terrain ideal for a sustainable trail and an engaging multi-use experience.
A distant view of the Chisos Mountains looking south from the Grapevine Hills Area.
White-tailed deer in the Chisos Basin.
Lajitas is home to the trails used for the Mas O' Menas mountain bike race that starts in Terlingua. Many miles of sustainable singletrack weave through a rolling desert environment. If you look closely the limestone and clay layers will reveal fossils from an ancient sea floor.
An unknown treasure of trails exists in Terlingua, Texas. Click here to view the video..

Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew leaders Nat and Rachael Lopes visited Big Bend National Park in February, one of 12 National Park visits by IMBA in 2006. In contrast to their previous visit to Saguaro National Park, where thousands of riders have enjoyed the oldest singletrack mountain bike trail in the National Park System for more than 14 years, the Crew found Big Bend in the initial stages of considering mountain biking trail opportunities.

While the Big Bend project has found a broad base of support in West Texas, some have expressed concern that park funds would be directed to new trails instead of maintaining existing ones. Others are worried that expanding mountain bike access could lead to new trail user groups, such as motorized users, requesting access in the National Parks.

Skilled ambassadors, Nat and Rachael helped alleviate the anti-bike sentiment by describing trailbuilding techniques that would result in sustainable trails that require minimal upkeep. They also let local park users know that IMBA's MOU with the National Park Service will not interfere with the Superintendent's ability to determine what additional recreational uses are appropriate for Big Bend.

The Crew scouted the Grapevine Hills area, a promising area that could be opened to bikes after all the required studies are completed. It's an attractive block of land and isn't part of a Wilderness study area. Grapevine Hills would offer an intimate experience with the environment on gentle terrain that riders of all ages and abilities could enjoy.

Mountain bikers across Texas have an attachment to Big Bend National Park and the Chihuahuan Desert region. Last year, the Lajitas Mas O' Menos race proved a good excuse for more than 400 people to come to the area and take in its stunning landscapes, geology and natural beauty. The annual race held in February held just outside the park in the Gateway Community of Terlingua, raised close to $1000 to help fund an Environmental Assessment, a necessary first step to bring bikes to Big Bend.