Big Bend National Park is not simply a park that you pass along the way. Located in West Texas along the US/Mexico border, this 1,252-square-mile park is five hours from the closest commercial airport. In other words, you must make Big Bend your final destination if you're going to visit. You're not going to just happen upon it as you drive down the road. But once here, you're likely to be astounded by the ruggedness, the beauty of the Chisos Mountain Range that falls entirely within the park's borders, and the rich cultural history preserved here.

Aside from the natural beauty of Big Bend, there's a lot going on here that's going to affect most visitors. There's work to design a new lodge, a question of whether the official wilderness designation should be applied to some of the park's landscape, and there are staffing issues and even wildlife issues. The Traveler's Lynn Riddick traveled to Big Bend to discuss these issues and more with Superintendent Bob Krumenaker.