A stop at the Walnut Canyon National Monument (1915), because we had missed seeing the ancestral Pueblo ruins at El Morro National Monument. Our Senior National Parks Pass gave us free admission.
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| Walnut Canyon National Monument Visitor Center (1940 by CCC, expansion in 1960s in Mission 66 style) |
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| Stepping out the back of the visitor center gives you a view of Walnut Canyon, a 600'/183 m deep gorge carved by Walnut Creek |
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| A close-by cliff dwelling is hidden by trees |
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| Across the canyon you can see that dwellings were made in natural recesses in the limestone cliffs |
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| Zooming in on some of the dwelling recesses |
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| It was a little disconcerting to stand under the cliff overhangs |
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| A photo of constructing the dividing and front walls of the individual rooms |
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| Partial remains of the front and side walls |
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| The walkway constructed by the CCC |
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| A few plants were identified along the trail, including a Quercus gambelii/ Gambel Oak, which we also saw at the Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano |
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| Kent's view down at the loop trail (KSS) |
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| Kent had a closer view of a cliff dwelling (KSS) |
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| These cliff dwellings were inhabited by the Sinagua people from about 1100-1250 CE |
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| The rooms were interconnected |
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| The outer walls still stand on the eastern side |
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| Meanwhile, Kent finds a Sceloporus cowlesi/ Southwestern Fence Lizard |
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| More cliff dwellings |
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| An example of a cliff dwelling that was damaged by treasure seekers before the government protected the area |
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| An example of a retaining wall built by the CCC in the 1940s |
Next: Route 66 in Arizona continued.
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