BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas — Starting on February 1, Big Bend National Park will have select areas temporarily closed to protect nesting falcons.
The National Park Service is required to protect all state-listed species, which has led to them closing areas in the Chisos Mountains.
Peregrine falcons were removed from the federal list of endangered species back in 1999, but in the state of Texas, they still remain as a threatened species.
The specific areas that will close are the East Rim Campsites 4-9, Technical rock climbing on rock faces within 1/4 mile of known peregrine eyries and a portion of the East Rim Trail from the southern junction of the Boot Canyon trail to a point north of Campsite ER-4.
In 2021, the South Rim Fire burned 1,300 acres of woodlands in the Chisos. This included some historical falcon nesting sites.
These temporary closures will last until May 31.
