Satellite Evidence Reveals Border Patrol Road Construction in Big Bend Park

BELLINGCAT — Satellite imagery analyzed by Bellingcat shows more than five miles of new road construction inside Big Bend National Park in southwestern Texas, part of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) “Smart Wall” initiative that includes roads, lighting, cameras, and barriers.

The project was paused this week following criticism from local residents, elected officials, and environmental organizations. The newly built roads run adjacent to the Rio Grande, through its floodplain and riparian forest, and extend near Cottonwood Campground, Santa Elena Canyon, and Mariscal Canyon within the national park.

Bellingcat’s map highlights the new road construction in yellow, with side-by-side comparisons available showing the area before and after the work. The imagery indicates the road approaches Cottonwood Campground, one of four campgrounds in the park, crossing through riparian forest and smaller drainages before connecting to the existing campground access road. Bright yellow construction equipment is visible in the campground area, where bulldozers were previously documented.

Additional construction is visible in the southern section of the park near Mariscal Canyon, where the new road links to Talley Road. According to CBP planning documents, this area is slated to receive a four-to-six-foot-tall vehicle barrier in addition to lighting and camera systems. Talley Road currently serves as the main access route to riverside backcountry campsites and provides hiking and boating access to Mariscal Canyon along the Rio Grande.

CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott stated in an August 13 press release that the activities constituted “survey and design work.” He added that CBP was “building one new access road, improving existing roads, installing detection technology, and placing vehicle barriers in limited, strategic locations.”

However, by August 17, Scott announced a pause in construction in response to bipartisan concerns about environmental impact, recreational access, and local economic effects.

Despite the construction push, data from CBP shows that the Big Bend Border Patrol Sector records the fewest migrant apprehensions of any section along the U.S.-Mexico border.

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