Thursday, August 20, 2015

Sunset Crater & Wupatki National Monuments

Our one week stay quickly became a month. There is so much to see and do in the area. In the past we only drove through Flagstaff area. Our park is a refuge for those living in the Phoenix and  Lake Havasu City areas. We pulled out the map and decided to visit few more National Parks and National Monuments. 

This is Sunset Crater. It blew about 800 years ago. The first thing I noticed when driving into the area was how tidy it looked under the trees. That's because of the cinder blanketed over the soil. 


The lava is very evident along the hillsides and along the road.




The gnarled trees and bark patterns are so interesting to me


Nature prevails and the plants resurface.


Drive down the road 20 miles and you come to a set of Ruins called Wupatki. I'm amazed that we are allowed to walk through out the structures; staying off the walls



The sandstone is very delicate and crumbles easily



This pueblo had a kiva and a sport court



Like all the ruins we've experienced in the No. Arizona, So Colorado, So Utah; all of these residents were gone from the area by the early 1200's. Most likely a result of drought but it's story remains unknown.


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