Big Bend Ranch is located adjacent to
Big Bend National Park and shares the national park's
Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem. However, in one significant aspect the state park is managed very differently from the nearby national park, as the state park encompasses a network of cattle ranches operated according to the principle of the
open range. A herd of
longhorn cattle is based here, and there is a semi-annual longhorn
roundup.
Plants Desert vegetation dominates the park including
lechuguilla and
sideoats grama. Other common plants include
ocotillo and
honey mesquite. Along the Rio Grande and around some of the springs in the park are
common reed,
Goodding's willow,
Frémont cottonwood and
velvet ash trees. The park contains most of the existing populations of the federally threatened
Hinckley oak.
Animals Common animals in the park include
gray fox,
desert cottontail, two species of
raven,
mule deer,
coyote, seven species of
owl,
kangaroo rat, six species of
woodpecker,
greater roadrunner, two species of
vulture,
jackrabbit,
collared peccary and many species of
lizard. Rarer animals include the
cougar,
golden eagle,
bobcat,
peregrine falcon,
zone-tailed hawk and
western mastiff bat. From 2007-2008, efforts were made to
cull the burro population; about 130 animals were killed. The cull was stopped to allow for efforts to trap and relocate the animals instead of killing them, but these were unsuccessful. As of 2021, the burro herd remains at large, however TPWD has said that resumption of lethal control is "not likely".
Waterfalls The Big Bend Ranch is home to Madrid Falls, the second highest waterfall in Texas. The terrain around Madrid Falls makes it difficult to access.
Colorado Canyon Colorado Canyon, within the park, is the "most accessible" of the area's river canyons. Visitors may take short float trips through it, and it can be viewed from vehicle access points. Other river canyons in Big Bend were carved out of limestone, which yields almost vertical walls. Colorado Canyon is the only one carved from volcanic rock. Its mineral-rich stone makes the canyon "a hanging garden of yuccas, cacti, and other life." ==Park management==