Arizona, Chiricahua National Monument

We landed in Bowie Arizona to venture out to Chiricahua National Monument.  As you enter Chiricahua you are climbing up a sky island-an isolated mountain range rising above the surrounding grassland sea.  The Chiricahua Apache called these pinnacles "standing up rocks."  Created 27 million years ago when eruptions from the Turkey Creek Volcano spewed ash over 1,200 miles.  Cooling and subsequent uplifting created joints and cracks in the rhyolite.  Eons of weathering by ice wedging and erosion by water enlarged the cracks.  Weaker material washed away, leaving behind an endless variety of spires, balanced rocks and other shapes.

After leaving the visitor center we drove up Bonita Canyon Drive stopping to hike the Echo Canyon Trail out to view the Echo Canyon Grotto.  It was an easy hike with amazing views.  We continued up the 8 mile road to Massai Point, elevation 6,870 ft. with a 360 degree view of Rhyolite Canyon and the mountain called Cochise Head.

We left New Mexico and entered Arizona February 28, 2019.  We left Carlsbad Caverns and went South into Texas through El Paso and back into New Mexico.  It was snowing in northern New Mexico so we changed our plans and followed Interstate 10, instead of heading north into New Mexico to visit a few spots.

Deck was using our camera to do a 180 degree view, this place was amazing.

The rocks were so unusual.

They say pictures are worth a thousand words, I'm not sure the picture's due this place justice.

Coatimundi or ring tailed, similar to raccoons just walking around when we drove by.

Standing Up Rocks named by the Apache.

The trail was an easy hike with mountains all around.  There was snow on some of the mountain tops and some on the ground along our hike.

The trail was very rocky yet easy to walk.

So many rocks were balanced upon each other.

The Grotto's were Stand Up Rocks that you could walk through.

Cochise head, can you see him?  His forehead is to the right, his chin on the left, and the nose.

Guadalupe Mountains

After Big Bend we traveled to the Guadalupe Mountains in Texas, The drive was very exciting with the high wind gusts and 7-8% long mountain road grades. We experienced our first desert dust storm, unbelievably large.We stayed at Pine Springs National Parks Campground, pretty much a paved parking lot with no hook ups. You can hike right from the campground with a starting elevation of around 5600 feet.

Guadalupe Peak 8751 feet tall from about 20 miles out

Guadalupe Peak from about 10 miles out

Guadalupe Peak as you enter the park

Entrance to Pine Springs Campground in the Guadalupe Mountains 

This is our camping spot, no hook ups in a paved parking lot

View of the Campground from the beginning of the trail

The start of Devils Hall Trail

Devils Hall Trail

The trees were very different

Cactus getting ready to flower

Wildlife

Holdiay and weekend spent in Virginia

 Darren and Lilly making a lamb stuffed animal named

 Lamblamb.

 

Lilly with her electrifying hair.  

 Our campsite with a cabana and a hot tub inside, 

oh yeah.

  Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park.  

Yikes snow on the ground.