Big Bend’s New Superintendent on the Park’s Big Revamp, Extreme Heat, and the Christy Perry Rescue

Anjna O’Connor first visited Big Bend National Park five years ago, on the back of a motorcycle driven by her boyfriend, who worked there at the time. They rode to Boquillas Canyon, where they hiked along the Rio Grande and into the rocky gorge, in scorching heat. She learned a couple of things that day: One, she loved the region, where hillsides bristle with ocotillo and prickly pear and a sky island of mountains rises from the desert floor. Two, she underestimated the heat, which left her dehydrated and exhausted—and armed with the knowledge of how quickly visitors can get in trouble if they’re not prepared for the park’s rugged conditions. Despite (or perhaps because of) the challenges, Big Bend beckoned her back, just as…

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