"Big" is a great descriptor for Big Bend National Park, where the park's more than 801,163 acres range from desert lands to mountain peaks and are rimmed on the south side by one of the country's great rivers.

A recovery plan for the Mexican gray wolf released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service falls far short of enabling the species to rebound, according to conservation groups that panned the plan for not providing enough habitat or allowing wolf populations to grow large enough before delisting.

Contributing photographer and writer Rebecca Latson is always curious about what other photographers pack in their gear bag and how they pack, in general, when traveling to a national park. Rebecca thought some of you readers might in turn, be interested as to her own luggage logic and what she packs for her national park photography trips. This article should answer some of that your questions and maybe you might even have some packing suggestions for her.

The need to conduct deferred maintenance projects in Big Bend National Park's Rio Grande Village this summer will require that the campground be closed on occasion until September.