These are national monuments in western New Mexico: off the beaten path, managed by the National Park Service.
There are 138 national monuments in the United States and 63 national parks.
El Morro
Roughly, this means “The Headland.”
El Morro is a giant sandstone outcropping with a life-saving pool of water at its base (created by rain only, not by a spring).
It’s on the historic east-west trail, so people have been stopping at this exact spot for centuries.
On top of the outcropping is where a city of people lived who are ancestors to the Puebloans—with a small section remaining.
On the side is where people have drawn and written the equivalent of, “I was here” for thousands of years.
We hiked to the top and along a path marked by the park service with shallow ruts in the rock.
We hiked below, where the sun reveals messages from more than 2,000 people, including Spanish dignitaries from the 1600s.
Today it’s protected against vandalism by park workers and volunteers.
From above you can walk along the top of a beautiful box canyon with a towering monument in its center.
From below you can imagine travelers stopping here for water, century after century. We talked with a young park interpreter who protects the monument land from people on ATVs and the inscriptions from vandals. We talked with a young person hiking on their own, bursting with enthusiasm and willingness to share.
El Malpais
Roughly, this is “The Bad Land.” Amazingly, it’s right next to El Morro, and is covered in volcanic rubble from an ancient lava flow.
Lava tubes run for 17 miles under the rubble, with frequent cave-ins that reveal, well, caves. Bats are protected from the spread of disease by meager signs put up by rangers and volunteers.
This is also an ancient Pueblo trade route, again, protected, for now, by its status as a national monument.
The Narrows
Where the lava fields and the sandstone bluffs meet is called The Narrows.
Can you see Tracy below this arch?
It’s gigantic.
The scale of all of this landscape is hard to capture.
And, it’s hard to know how to talk about these places amid all the chaos in this country and the dismantling of our democracy. At least, I can share my experiences here of land that is ours, that is protected by government workers and volunteers, and that we can walk on and experience thanks to our national government. For now.
I envy you. This looks like the absolutely perfect place to be right now. Full of scenic beauty and fascinating history. Tune the rest of this crazy world out and enjoy.
Well, I read the Washington Post each morning, sometimes many stories, sometimes only the headlines. But I feel like I can’t fully disconnect; too much is at stake for the entire country. Plus of course my scientist friends and family, my trans friends and family, you know the list. On and on. At least I can talk about what I’m seeing. Thanks for reading and commenting, seriously.
I know , it’s impossible to ignore when it affects those we love. My guy is a news junkie so I’m never allowed to… but it’s tempting.
I can’t stand to have the TV on – you are very patient to put up with that.
I read.
Constantly…
Thank you for sharing more beautiful places to go explore! I feel like I need a year to see and discover just what New Mexico holds in its natural beauty. Great pictures!
I know of three fulltimers who recently bought a homebase in New Mexico, and one sticks-and-bricks friend who bought a house. It seems like the hot place right now, for good reason!