In Far West Texas, Big Bend is a place where night skies are dark as coal and rivers carve temple-like canyons in ancient limestone. At the end of the road, hundreds of bird species take refuge in a solitary mountain range surrounded by weather-beaten desert. Tenacious cactus bloom in sublime southwestern sun, and the diversity of species is the best in the country. From February through April, the park has pleasant and comfortable temperatures. From May through August, it is hot and can also be stormy, with temperatures regularly reaching well over 100 degrees in the lower elevations and along the Rio Grande. From September through January, temperatures are cooler, and the weather can quickly turn cold at any time during these months.