Photo Blog with Waterfalls, Hiking, Outdoors, and other Adventures
Boca Negra Canyon is another site within Petroglyph National Monument and is easy to find just a few minutes drive north from the visitor center along Unser Blvd. The location is more developed as compared to Rinconada Canyon with a small restroom and some picnic sites. On a weekday early afternoon there is enough parking … Read more
Second attempt at the Rinconada Canyon Trail area of Petroglyph National Monument. First try was on the weekend, and the signs posted from the park service warning about thefts & break-ins plus the local crowd told me to move along; today on a Tuesday at noon I nearly had it to myself. Be sure to … Read more
The final destination for me completing my visit at Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument was at the Quarai site, located just 10 minutes north of Mountainair, New Mexico on NM-55 in the small unincorporated community of Punta de Agua. The visitor center / museum is currently closed for remodeling. This is a smaller site and … Read more
Two more sites to visit for Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument and both are a bit more remote. The next closest is a 30-minute drive south from Mountainair on rural State Road 55 (aka NM-55) to reach the Gran Quivira Unit. Again, the visitor center is closed today but that’s expected since it’s Monday in … Read more
Continuing from the Headland Trail you’ll naturally connect to the Inscription Rock Trail that leads along the bluff and observes the other significant focus of the monument – several ancient petroglyphs and hundreds of historic rock inscriptions. A careful eye will notice several petroglyphs on the large vertical faces of the cliff where big circular … Read more
Made it to Grants, New Mexico and stopped for fuel. Didn’t have anything planned in this area so I took a survey of the map and found an interesting feature relatively nearby. Headed south on NM-117 into El Mapais National Monument / National Conservation Area and checked out the La Ventana Natural Arch, the second … Read more
Camp was quiet and nearly cleared out on this mid-October Monday morning, and my feet are losing their soreness so it’s time to try another short hike. As far as short hikes go this one has a great payoff at Jemez Falls, the highest waterfall in the Jemez Mountains. The trailhead is very easy to … Read more
Four years later and I have returned to Capulin Volcano National Monument to rectify my past failures and – spoiler alert? – it was worth the wait. Considering my past blunder was just not paying attention to a clock this was an easy win. Anyways, welcome to Capulin and let’s explore! Visitor Center First stop … Read more
Continuing on from the Ponderosa Loop I followed further north onto the Petrified Forest Loop trail that explores the ancient Florissant Lake bed and it’s various petrified redwood stumps. Going clockwise, very early into the trail (on clear days like today) you may be rewarded with distant views of Pikes Peak. Zoomed in view of … Read more
Outside the visitor center is a large shelter covering stumps of petrified redwood trees. One of the signs state that years ago before this area was protected as a monument, the area was littered with petrified wood; for 100 years visitors would take souvenirs and now the stumps are all that remain. Shelters protect some … Read more