Plan for Fun and Safety

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Plan for Fun and Safety

Details: Created on Thursday, 10 February 2011 03:42; Published on Thursday, 10 February 2011 03:42; Written by Abe Connally

The key to a good vacation is good planning. Your next trip or hike in the park, can be better planned with our events calender. For example, for next week you'll find the Cookie Chill-Off, a delicious competition of cold desserts, Sunday at 1 PM. And that's only the start of a long list of great events for the month.

bike_trail You don't want to miss the Chihuahua Desert Dirt Fest on the 17-20. A full weekend of biking the various trails of Big Bend in this Desert Sports celebration. Check out the calendar for other upcoming events in the month of February.

When participating in these events, however, you always want to make sure you're as safe as possible. Particularly dirt biking can be very dangerous is safety precautions aren't taken ahead of time. Here are some tips for having a good time with less risk.

Wear a helmet and other appropriate gear.
Check your bike and make sure you're equipped for the terrain. Some bikes are better for certain situations.
Check your speed. Never go so fast that you can't adjust for changes in the trail.
Be careful with blind corners. You never know who or what may be around a sharp turn.
Know you're limits. Some trails in the park are quite long and can be difficult. Stay within your abilities.
Bring water and even a snack for longer rides. Even when it's cold, you can get dehydrated. By prepared to take care of yourself.

Taking these pointers into consideration will help you plan your Dirt Fest for success. The term “safety first” isn't for little kids or dummies—it's for anyone that values their own life.

As for safety tips for the Cookie Chill-off? Well, you'll have to use your own discretion when it comes to yummy cold desserts.

Weather Update

Things look warmer for the Big Bend area by the end of the weekend. Keep up to date with the weather page.

Worth a Thousand Words

There are some views you just can't take in all at once. Like a dazzling sunset or breathtaking field of wildflowers—you just can't appreciate such beauty in the moment, a moment that is often over before you realize it, the forms and colors of that marvelous vista already fading in your memory. Perhaps it was with the goal of preserving such scenes that the first camera was invented, a goal that you may still share when you visit a place as beautiful as Big Bend and the surrounding area. Why not take a look through our new and improved photo galleries to see what amazing sights have been preserved by astounded visitors and appreciative locals? When you see the mountains, plains, flora, and fauna displayed in those images, you'll be glad the gallery contributors took their camera along.

Birding in Big Bend

Among the many activities available in Big Bend National Park that highlight the region's diversity of wildlife, birding can be enjoyable and promising. Big Bend engulfs a vast area, bounded by the the rushing Rio Grande valley to the south, containing high peaks in the Chisos Mountains, and boasting both desert and forest climates between the two. It embodies the very diversity that makes America great, providing countless opportunities to spot more than 450 birds in one area.

Your Big Year is Here

What are your new year's resolutions for 2012? Did you keep your resolutions for 2011? While the top resolutions each year include losing weight, learning something new, traveling, or getting out of debt, here's a new challenge you can take on this year: spot all the bird species in Big Bend National Park.

Big Bend Video Collections

Big Bend has some of the most spectacular scenery in Texas, if not the entire US. Our big sky country rivals any other state and our night skies are as dark as anywhere for excellent star gazing. The beautiful light and great scenery make for a photographer’s paradise.

Trails and Wildlife

There are many things you may love to do in Big Bend National Park in the heat of summer, but running or jogging is probably not one of them. With 90+ degree temperatures, there simply is no such thing as a nice July run in West Texas. With the dry weather we've had this year, you have truly hostile workout conditions. That all changes this time of year, though, as temperatures drop and the sun gives us a break for a few months. What a great time to get out on some trails in Big Bend!

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