In Search of Natural Arch

September 22, 2019

I had worked at least part of all the days this past week until Sunday, so decided to go see some local scenic places. The closest place was Natural Arch, on Bureau of Land Management Land, which was even on my phone's GPS.  It was listed as forty-six miles away. I also had   just gotten a new camera and need to learn to use it and figure out the best settings to get the kind of pictures I want so I needed something to photograph.

I was lazy and did not get out of the house until after sunrise, but the day was still beautiful and I think the new camera manages strong sun better than did my old one.

But you decide.

Soon after I left the town of Del Norte, I found huge boulders, more like tiny mountains scattered across a plain. They were produced by one of the biggest volcanic eruptions ever.  One of the sets of boulders was set to the east of the road and called Elephant Rock.  The sun was shining right into the camera, so I didn't take it.  But there was just one fabulous view after the other.

Come along.

Along the way

This was an area of a huge eruption - see last post for details

I thought these cones to be as beautiful as flowers. - think this is pinyon pine

There were lots of long views like this

The huge rock outcroppings went on forever with several trails running through them

Prairie, outcrops, and conifers

These rocks reminded me of a herd of elephants - real mammoths did live here

A very different rock structure

Another volcanic outcropping

As I was climbing the last road to Natural Arch, I was struck by the green field 

Getting close

I've arrived

I loved the tree growing in the "window" 

 I found a trail running along the "wall" of rock that contains Natural Arch, hoping to find an easy trail to it. I gave up before finding an easy way to climb up to the arch but enjoyed these pictures as I climbed ever higher and looked back down into the valley.

The view was of hills all the way to mountains

I found a lovely dispersed campground - this was one of the views from it

Another sign of past volcanos

I forgot I had started this post, and came to the library to post about my trip into the San Juan Mountains to enjoy the aspens turning golds to red when I found it partially done. Next time I'll share views of aspens.

On a personal note, I helped get ready for and then worked at our annual Kids Crane Festival Saturday, October 5. Then today I met a tour bus and spent an hour showing then ducks and sandhill cranes. We also got to see a herd of twenty elk.

I'm stopping all other work to pin my bees and then will take them up to the Museum of Natural History to get identified. I'll probably continue my survey next year because I didn't get to all corners of the valley and the surrounding mountains or catch each set of flowers in bloom.  We had lots of very high winds that blew my traps away as well as which kept bees from flying.

I'll spend a four day weekend at Black Canyon of the Gunnison, will be driving my bees and getting organized to leave.  But I'll be back next February.

I'll have many adventures on the way home. I'll spend three-four days in the Taos, New Mexico region and then pick up a friend in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  We plan to spend a busy 5 days in Mexico, touring the National Monuments and Parks before I drop her off at the San Antonio airport.  Then I'll drive to spend a weekend camping out with my daughter and grandson before officially arriving in Texas.

I won't have connectivity or time, but eventually I'll get caught up with blogs.