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Bipartisan Effort Launched To Expand Big Bend National Park

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By NPT Staff - April 3rd, 2023

Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in Congress to allow Big Bend National Park to grow by more than 6,000 acres/Rebecca Latson file

Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in Congress to revive a 2020 attempt to expand Big Bend National Park in Texas by more than 6,000 acres.

Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico last week introduced a measure to allow the National Park Service to acquire more than 6,000 acres of donated or voluntarily sold land along the western boundary of the park.

“Texas is home to beautiful terrain and vibrant wildlife, and Big Bend National Park is no exception,” said Cornyn. “This legislation expands and preserves the park’s heritage, natural resources, and scenery while also safeguarding private property rights, and I urge my Senate colleagues to support it.”

“Big Bend National Park is one of the many treasures in the Southwest,” said Luján. “I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation to expand Big Bend National Park. This expansion will allow the National Park Service to conserve the ecosystem along the Terlingua watershed for years to come.” 

U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales (TX-23) introduced similar legislation in the House of Representatives.

The land in question is the same tract that former U.S. Rep. Will Hurd of Texas cited in his 2020 unsuccessful park expansion legislation. 

“Big Bend National Park is an iconic piece of America that shows our country’s beauty, history and incredible environmental value. With H.R. 8093, the National Park Service would be allowed to expand this awe-inspiring park an additional 6,100 acres," Hurd said when he introduced the legislation. "Not only would this provide protection for this land, but it would also give Americans even more area to respect and appreciate.

"This boundary change would protect the very rare and unique Terlingua Watershed, some of the most important fossil bearing rocks in Big Bend, and ruins of pioneer homesteads of both Anglos and Hispanics," said Hurd.

More than half of the acreage being eyed under the legislation is in one property, the 3,500-acre Fulcher Ranch that's just west of the park and south of Terlingua. The property has significant fossil beds, important habitat associated with Terlingua Creek, and cultural aspects and historic ruins that would be an attractive addition to the park. Its owners have indicated an interest in seeing the land added to the park.

The Big Bend Conservancy has been raising money to acquire the land.

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