Big Bend Improvement Proposals – Reopen Boquillas Border Crossing and Create Bike Trail
Big Bend National Park is proposing some changes and improvements and needs your input. Current proposals include reopening the Boquillas Border Crossing and the development a Multi-Use Biking Trail.
The Boquillas Border Crossing would become a secure Class B point of entry (POE) for travel between the U.S. and Mexico and provide park visitors who wish to travel to or from Mexico with information about the area. Boquillas Crossing was closed in May of 2002 as security tightened after 9-11. Before the crossing was closed Boquillas del Carmen was a small, 300 resident Mexico town that catered to Big Bend tourism. The crossing offered Big Bend visitors access to restaurants, taco stands, pony and donkey rentals, a bed and breakfast, and the village’s bar. Should the crossing reopen It is possible Boquillas could return to offer these same culture rich opportunities to Big Bend visitors.
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| Boquillas Crossing prior to the 2002 closing. Photo Credit: Fliker User zug55 |
The proposed Multi-Use Biking trail would be located northwest of Panther Junction. Approximately ten miles of trail would be constructed for hiking and mountain-biking. A trailhead, parking, and picnic area would also be built near the Panther Junction Visitor Center along with a second trailhead along the Grapevine Hills road. The proposal is being made in accordance with the 2002 Memorandum of Agreement between NPS and the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA). The Memorandum “encouraged identifying mountain biking opportunities in the national parks, including new trail construction in appropriate areas.”
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| Mountain Biking in Big Bend. Photo Credit: Desert Sports |
Big Bend is encouraging your comments. Comments on the Boquillas Crossing will be accepted until March 16 while comments on the multi-use trail will be accepted until April 2nd. For more information or for your opportunity to comment please visit the park’s Planning, Environment, and Public Comment page.
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Kovas
New trails, helping out a neighbor, sounds like a great plan!
Dale
Sounds like a good idea to me, thanks for bringing this to my attention!
Tim @ Appalachia and Beyond
Steven
I have to agree with Kovas and Dale. Why not, especially if it's a controlled and secure crossing. That beauty shouldn't be viewable only from afar.
Tim