After my return from San Antonio, we moved to WHR-Camp Verde to spend a week investigating the Sedona/Verde Valley area. We took a day trip to Sedona driving through the Red Rock State Park loop. We hiked Cathedral Rock, a strenuous 1 1/2 mile hike with majestic views at the top.
Cathedral Rock at a distance
Looking up as we climb
We visited the Montezuma Cliff Dwellings and Montezuma's Well just outside Camp Verde. When you sit down and look at the cliff dwellings, you can visualize what their everyday life was like and it gives you a sense that the ancestor's spirits are still present.
Montezuma's Well and sinkhole.Click on to see
Cliff Dwellings.
Montezuma Cliff Dwellings
Petrified Forest N.P.
Painted Desert N.P.
We had about two weeks before arriving at Elk Creek Campground at Curecanti National Recreation Area for our summer volunteer jobs as camp hosts, so we took advantage by visiting several national parks along the route. We visited the Petrified Forest N.P. and Painted Desert located about 25 miles east of Holbrook, Arizona off I-40. Both had amazing natural resources. The Petrified Forest has stone-hardened trees millions of years old with crystals and gems imbedded in them. Painted Desert was one of our favorites. We found several trails leading down into the "badlands" or bottoms of the canyons where you where surrounded by incredible layered red rock in several shades rising hundreds of feet into the sky. The most important detail we took with us is the fact that even rubbing these materials with our hands can cause long-term deteriation and jepardize the future of their existence. We also need to take special care not to remove rocks or other items from the parks as it is considered illegal to do so!
Our next visit was an unexpected one. The Canyon de Chelly, established in 1931, is a National Monument located on the Navajo reservation in Chinle, Arizona. Wall art (known as Petroglyphs and Pictographs) give evidence that people have lived in the canyons for 5,000 years. Ancient cliff dwellings of the Basketmaker people can be viewed on the North and South Rims. Among those are the Yucca Cave ruins, Antelope House, and Mummy Cave ruins. On the South Rim are the Junction Ruins,White House ruin, Sliding Rock ruins, and Spider Rock, an 800 foot sandstone spire that rises from the canyon floor.
Antelope House Ruins
(North Rim)
Mummy Cave Ruins
(North Rim)
White House Ruins
(South Rim)
Navajo still farm in the canyon today
Petroglyphs of Canyon de Chelly
depicting life as it was.
