THE BATTLE FOR BIG BEND
A proposed border wall threatens one of Texas’s last wild places.
NATURE'S OWN BARRIER
Steep 1,500-foot canyons already provide a natural, unscalable border.
A DEADLY TREK
Extreme heat and scarce water make this the least-crossed sector on the border.
THE 'SMART WALL' PLAN
Plans call for 175 miles of steel bollards, roads, and surveillance tech.
LAWS WAIVED
28 laws, including the Endangered Species Act, were waived to speed construction.
WILDLIFE AT RISK
A physical wall could end the migration of Big Bend’s iconic black bears.
THREAT TO TOURISM
River guides fear the wall will choke off access to world-class canoe routes.
PREHISTORIC SITES
Construction may bulldoze through ancient rock art and sacred historical sites.
LOCALS PUSH BACK
From sheriffs to river guides, local officials and residents almost unanimously oppose the wall.
PARK INTEGRITY
Advocates call this the biggest threat to National Park integrity in over a century.
KEEP BIG BEND WILD
As construction looms, the fight to preserve Texas's wild heart continues.