Heavy snow blankets Big Bend, turning park into ‘winter wonderland,’ Texas video shows

The rugged desert landscape of Big Bend is almost unrecognizable after a rare snowstorm blanketed the national park in white, Texas video shows.

More than 6 inches of snow fell on parts of the 800,000-acre park in far southwestern Texas on Saturday, March 18, according to park officials.

“We advise against attempting backpacking trips today and tomorrow given the depth of the snow and how hard it will be to find and follow the trails,” the park said.

Snow is a rare sight at Big Bend, especially so much all at once, and the park was forced to close down major roads and entrances until they could be cleared, officials said on social media.

When the road to the Chisos Basin was cleared, a ranger took a drive up the winding path while recording the view through the dash, capturing Big Bend as few have ever seen it, video shows.

“I have driven this road a hundred times but never saw this,” one person commented.

“I love that you videoed in black and white! It makes the scene even more beautiful,” said another. But the video is in full color.

All of the desert’s browns and greens and yellows are muted, matching the clouds hanging low around the mountains, the video shows.

“I wish I was in that winter wonderland. In Midland we didn’t even get 1 raindrop,” a comment said.

“I’ve been going to Big Bend since 1966 - been there over 30 times. This is the first I’ve seen of snow there,” one commenter said.

“Amazing we drove by there on Monday and Tuesday, and it was sunny and hot,” said another.

It’s true snow doesn’t often grace Big Bend, park officials said. Some years, it skips the park entirely, and when it does fall it’s typically an inch or two, a dusting compared to what’s there now.

March is one of the driest months of the year at Big Bend, on average, seeing just a little over 1 inch of cumulative precipitation, park data shows.

This snowfall showcases how quickly conditions can change in the area and the importance of paying attention to the weather when in nature.

Despite this sudden cold snap, heat is the most common threat in Big Bend. A 64-year-old hiker died at the park earlier this month, on March 6, after being found unresponsive on the Hot Springs Canyon Trail, McClatchy News previously reported.

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