TEXAS — Big Bend National Park has implemented even more park closures recently due to increased bear activity in the area.

On July 17, Big Bend announced its first closures to the Window Trail in the Chisos Basin at the park. The closure, much like the ones announced in August, is due to increased bear activity within the narrow trail corridor.

“The safety of both the bears and the public is paramount. We ask for your cooperation during this time and apologize for the inconvenience,” according to a statement from the park.

Both the upper and lower Window Trail trailheads were closed, however, the trail remains open.

The park’s most recent closure pertains to the Chisos Basin Campground and the Chisos Basin Group Campground. This closure will go into effect Friday, Aug. 12.

According to a Facebook post by the park, hungry bears are the culprits for this latest closure. The post said, “mesquite pods and other natural food sources are very enticing to hungry bears, and the bears have decided that the best mesquite pods are currently in the Chisos Basin Campground.”

All the trails in the area will remain open, except for the spur trail connected to the Window Trail to the campground.

Big Bend National Park has assured campers that these sites and trails will open as soon as the bears move on. In the meantime, Big Bend encourages visitors to keep their campsites clean and free of open or unattended food.

Big Bend is the largest national park in Texas and boasts over 801,100 acres in West Texas.