Petroglyph NM, Albuquerque’s Ancient Canvas New Mexico June 2021 Exploring Albuquerque’s Ancient Canvas We were on our way early to visit the Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque, NM. This monument protects one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America, preserving designs chipped into the dark “desert varnish” of volcanic rocks by Ancestral Puebloans and […]
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The Continuous Ridges of the Great Sand Dunes New Mexico June 2021 The Great Sand Dunes Illusion While driving toward the Great Sand Dunes National Park, we saw the dunes appearing at the foot of the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Because these mountain peaks are over 13,000 feet high, we doubted that these dunes
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The Silent Cathedrals of Plaza Blanca New Mexico June 2021 A Solitary Walk Through Plaza Blanca We registered to visit Plaza Blanca near Abiquiu yesterday to visit the landscape immortalized by Georgia O’Keeffe as “The White Place.” Plaza Blanca is located on the private property of the Dar al Islam education center, which purchased the
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Climbing The Ladder at Bandelier National Monument New Mexico June 2021 Bandelier National Monument, A Quiet Wonder We arrived at Bandelier National Monument around 9:00 AM and had no trouble parking near the visitor center, which was a relief. We were so glad we bought the $2 paper trail guide at the entrance. It was
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Hiking Georgia O’Keeffe’s Red & Yellow Mountains of Abiquiú New Mexico June 2021 The Colors of O’Keeffe We drove to Ghost Ranch near Abiquiú, New Mexico. The area was once known as Rancho de los Brujos, or “Ranch of the Witches,” a name that came from old legends of hauntings and spirits that local cattle
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A Riverside Retreat, Leasburg Dam State Park New Mexico June 2021 History and Shade along the Rio Grande We headed to Leasburg Dam State Park, a quiet refuge along the Rio Grande just north of Las Cruces, for a hike along the river. The park is named after the first diversion dam completed for the
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A Morning at Dripping Springs Natural Area New Mexico June 2021 A Scenic Three-Mile Loop in The Organs Despite wanting to sleep in, I was wide awake by 7:00 AM. After the long travel day yesterday, we kept things local and headed to the Dripping Springs Natural Area in the Organ Mountains. Located just 15
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Carlsbad Caverns, A Magical World Underground New Mexico June 2021 Luck and Learning at Carlsbad Caverns We had a long 180-mile drive ahead to Carlsbad Caverns National Park in the vast Guadalupe Mountains. To get there on time, we left at 7:00 AM for a 3.5-hour drive through the Texas-New Mexico borderlands. It was a
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White Sands National Park, Catching A Sunset New Mexico June 2021 The Collision of Light and Storm at White Sands After visiting Carlsbad Caverns National Park, we drove back north through New Mexico’s oil country. Although it added a 50-mile detour to Las Cruces, it was worth it to arrive at White Sands National Park
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White Sands National Park, The Alkali Flat Trail New Mexico June 2021 Eerie and Mesmerizing, The Alkali Flat Trail White Sands National Park is a world like no other, a 275-square-mile area of radiating gypsum. It felt more like an alien planet than a desert. While it was designated a National Monument in 1933, its
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