The plans for a border wall across Big Bend Ranch State Park and Big Bend National Park continue to face strong opposition in Texas. The project has encountered significant resistance from residents, landowners, and both Democratic and Republican officials in Texas, who argue it would damage the unique landscape and harm tourism. Anyone who has traveled the region agrees with that assessment.
In February 2026, the current administration waived more than 20 environmental laws — including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and the Antiquities Act — to clear the way for a 150-mile-long (241-kilometer-long) border barrier through West Texas. That is a rugged, scenic area with unscalable canyons along the Rio Grande, not to mention the harsh Chihuahuan Desert landscape. The original plan called for a 30-foot-tall (9.1-meter-tall) “Smart Wall” combining a physical barrier with surveillance technology. There is nothing smart about a man-made structure that affects nature on a grand scale.
Within days of the announcement, opposition emerged across party lines. Brewster County Judge Greg Henington — a Republican — was among the first local officials to speak out publicly. The National Parks Conservation Association warned of “irreparable damage to one of our country’s most iconic national parks.” Residents, outfitters, scientists, and conservation groups added their voices, ultimately prompting the federal government to quietly remove Big Bend National Park from its physical-barrier plans. As of early April 2026, no wall is planned for the national park, though survey markers recently placed inside Big Bend Ranch State Park continue to raise questions about construction activity there.
Supporters of the wall cite border security, but the data for this specific sector is striking. In fiscal year 2025, Border Patrol recorded 3,096 apprehensions in the Big Bend sector — just 1.3% of the 237,538 apprehensions recorded across the entire U.S.–Mexico border. The terrain itself — sheer canyon walls, the Rio Grande, miles of open Chihuahuan Desert — already functions as a formidable deterrent.
Big Bend is one of the most biologically rich landscapes in North America. The region shelters roughly 450 bird species, making it a critical stop on major migration routes. Mammals, including black bears, mountain lions, mule deer, javelinas, coyotes, and desert bighorn sheep, regularly cross the international boundary to find food, water, shelter, and mates. Scientists warn that a physical barrier would fragment these wildlife corridors, accelerate flooding in canyon bottoms by disrupting natural drainage, and permanently alter a desert-river system that has remained largely intact for generations.
Tourism is the lifeblood of this remote corner of Texas. In 2024, Big Bend National Park alone welcomed more than 561,000 visitors whose spending totaled $56.8 million in nearby communities, supporting 585 local jobs.
The three images in this post were captured along FM 170 (the River Road) in Big Bend Ranch State Park. FM 170 follows the Rio Grande (Río Bravo del Norte, as it is known in Mexico) from Presidio to Lajitas, and its commanding views of remote canyonlands have long made it one of the most celebrated scenic drives in Texas. It also provides access to river put-ins and take-outs used by outfitters offering rafting, canoeing, and kayaking trips. According to maps released by Customs and Border Protection, the proposed barrier’s “project area” would separate FM 170 from the Rio Grande, cutting off public access to the river and the recreation economy it supports.
That is the story behind the shots. If you liked this post, you may also be interested in others featuring Austin, Big Bend Ranch SP, Chihuahuan Desert, FM 170, Landscapes, Parks, River Road, and Texas. Until the next time, keep clicking and capturing the beauty your eyes find.
Sources: Big Bend Sentinel, Texas Monthly, Texas Tribune, National Wildlife Federation, National Parks Conservation Association, Sierra Club, and National Park Service.
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Steve Schwartzman
Have opponents of this stretch of the border wall offered alternatives, like having the government install lots of high-tech sensors and hiring extra border patrol agents for that sector?
Egidio Leitao
I don’t know the exact details the opponents have offered, if any. However, considering those facts I outlined in my post and the low number of illegal crossings, this is clearly an expensive alternative for so little. It’s theatrics from this administration, and they do it well.
Steve Schwartzman
My point is that if opponents of the wall want to succeed, they have to offer an alternative that people who favor the wall will accept, even if that alternative seems unnecessary to opponents of the wall. Convincing people on your own side is easy; convincing people on the other side may well require concessions.
Egidio Leitao
I agree with you. Some of the wall is supposed to go right through their lands. I don’t know what argument they’d have to make to prevent that. This whole wall idea is baffling to me. When you realize that only 1.3% of illegals come in through that area, I fail to see why one would need to justify or provide alternatives. The government should spend our dollars where it is needed and not just to cover 1.3% of the problem. Clearly there are other areas along the US/Mexico border with more illegal entries.
Pepper
Egidio, these are gorgeous landscapes. Not sure I’ll ever get a chance to see Big Bend for myself, but glad to be able to enjoy it through your photographs.
Egidio Leitao
Thank you, Pepper. I love that area and am always glad to post photos from it.
prmckee1
Well written. Thanks for posting this.
Egidio Leitao
Thank you for the feedback. We were there just as the demonstrations were beginning.
Toonsarah
Like Margaret I hadn’t thought about the potential environmental implications of this horrendous wall project, only the human ones. I do hope the campaigners win, or at least keep things on hold long enough for sense to prevail, i.e. a change of administration.
Egidio Leitao
I’m happy the post provided a “local” view to that problem. I’m hoping the residents you win. Some of them would have the wall go right through their property! Thanks for your comment.
margaret21
I had not realised, from this distance from your continent, the range of implications to be considered in building That Wall. From here, it just seemed a plain waste of money, with probable inhumane consequences. The other far -reaching consequeces had been less apparent. Thanks for this post – and may your fight continue – and succeed!
Egidio Leitao
Margaret, it is a waste of money. It’ll never stop illegal immigration. We’ll see what happens. Thank you for your feedback.
shoreacres
This is an excellent post for people who don’t know much about what’s happening down there. I’m bookmarking it to save and pass on as needed. I know some ranchers and land managers in the broader area, and their perspective, while differently focused, is no less concerned with trying to limit the damage that could be done.
Egidio Leitao
Linda, what is sad about this is how quickly the facts change. Those people you mentioned are very concerned about what is happening there. Thank you for writing.
Anne Sandler
I hope the wall isn’t built and public opinion prevails. The area is just beautiful and your photos show that.
Egidio Leitao
Thank you, Anne. I worry about it, because this administration does many things without following the law. They destroy people’s property without any concern.