Big Circle - Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument

So, after dawdling at White Sands National Monument, I was on the fast track home, taking a route that avoided Albuquerque because it just so happened it was the weekend of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

I had just passed through some construction when I saw a sign for a National Monument that I had never visited. I debated for a few seconds. Then, I made the hardest fast left ever. I was on my way to Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, which has three sites and a Visitors Center. 

I made it to two of the sites - Gran Quivira and Quarai 

The area was named Gran Quivira National Monument in 1909. In 1980 it was enlarged and, in 1981, two New Mexico State Monuments were absorbed into it. It became Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument in 1988.

Impressive structures

Early in the 17th century, Spanish Franciscans moved to the area, which they named the Salinas District, to convert the indigenous people. They built (or rather had the native peoples build) large churches, similar in style to European churches by very much southwestern in materials. 

A big structure

By the late 1670s, neither Puebloans nor Spaniards remained in the area.

The two sites I visited were quite different. Gran Quivira has very visible ruins of a massive village of Tiwa and Tompiro language-speaking Puebloans, who inhabited this remote area of central New Mexico. 

It is estimated that more than 2,000 people lived there at one time

The Ranger (who gave me a personal tour) told me that LIDAR (light radar) has revealed that a second, older Pueblo is underneath the ruins that can be seen. 

Multiple rooms for lots of people

The shared-wall Pueblo was made of stone and adobe and included living quarters, shared facilities, storage areas and kivas. 

Ancient condos

Although the people living there converted to Catholicism, they also continue to worship their ancient gods, which led the friars to destroy many of the kivas.

Kiva

The mission church was quite large and designed to use windows to take advantage of New Mexico's ample sunlight. Although the beams and corbels have been removed, some still exist.

Windows in the wall

Quarai has less visible Pueblo walls, but a much more complete church.

Church

You can, however, see the foundations of the Pueblo.

Foundations

The massive churches required a great deal of labor, which, combined with time spent learning about Christianity and Spanish crafts, occupied most of the native peoples' time. This created strife with local government because the natives had no time to work for them.

The goal of the friars was to prepare the local peoples to become citizens of Spain when the area was annexed. This never happened.

Multiple angles

The Spanish Inquisition was going on during this time and many of the native people were subjected to inquisition. However, records indicate the Salinas friars were far more compassionate than the general reputation of inquisitors. Still, although many Puebloans retained their religion, they kept their worship secret.

As you can see from the pictures, the visit to Salinas Pueblo Missions was on another day of vast, brilliant blue skies. Unlike much of the area, Quarai has large cottonwood trees.

A pretty setting

I didn’t have time to visit Abó, which also has ruins of a church.

A nice end to a great trip. But, it was time to go home.

Trip date: September 24-October 7, 2014

Big Circle - White Sands National Monument

Since I had shortened my visit to Guadalupe Mountains, I was able to visit both Bottomless Lakes State Park (see previous post) and White Sands National Monument.

As I mentioned, I had been to White Sands before – in 1958! 

Photo: William L. Pedretty, 1958 (that's our Cadillac)

I am pleased to say, it hasn’t changed much – even the picnic shelters look the same.

Shelters

White Sands National Monument, southwest of Alamogordo, comprises the southern part of 275 square miles of white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals. 

Dunes

It is the largest gypsum dune field in the world. And, although it has dunes, it is quite different from the dunes at Great Sand Dunes National Park, which are made of finely ground quartz-based rock and soil, much of it volcanic.

White, white sands

Gypsum is rarely found in the form of sand because it is water-soluble and, normally, rain dissolves it and carries it to the ocean. But, White Sands is in a basin surrounded by mountains with no outlet to the sea. 

Distant mountains

Rain that dissolves gypsum from the surrounding San Andres and Sacramento Mountains either sinks into the ground or forms shallow pools that dry out and leave gypsum in a crystalline form, called selenite, on the surface. 

Gypsum isn't actually white; it's a clear substance. The dunes look white because the gypsum grains are constantly banging into each other. The scratches then reflect the sun's rays making them appear white.

Ancient sand

During the last ice age, a lake known as Lake Otero covered much of the basin. When it dried out, it left a large flat area of selenite crystals, which is now the Alkali Flat. Lake Lucero, at the southwest corner of the park, is a dry lakebed that occasionally fills with water.

Wind patterns

Erosion breaks the selenite crystals into sand-size grains that are carried away by wind, forming white dunes. Since gypsum is water-soluble, the surface of the dunes cements together after rain, forming a layer of sand that is fairly solid, so walking on the dunes is much easier than walking across the Great Sand Dunes. 

Shadows

Plus, the sand doesn't retain heat, making it possible to walk on it even when outside temperatures are in the 90s (don't try that at Great Sand Dunes!). The park literature said that the dunes can even freeze in the winter, making them very slippery.

Some dunes are bare, but others that shift around less, are covered with desert plants.

Desert plants

The park closes at 8:00 p.m. Because it lies completely within the White Sands Missile Range, both the park and U.S. Route 70 between Las Cruces and Alamogordo are subject to closure when tests are conducted on the missile range. On average, tests occur about twice a week, for a duration of one to two hours. Luckily, I didn’t encounter any closures.

Late afternoon

I went twice – I arrived after 4:00 p.m., when the Visitors Center closes, so I drove the eight-mile park road to witness lots of families enjoying themselves  (looks like some creativity with natural formations) ...

Cute!

... and a bride and groom being photographed ... 

My only shot was pretty lucky

I  witnesses a spectacular sunset.

Pretty colors

The colors are the sky were phenomenal. Orange to the west ...

End of day

... and pink and blue to the east ...

Final colors

Morning

The next morning I went back. I wasn’t fast enough to catch sunrise, but I did get to see the Park in full sun.

White Sands is a the unique dune environment that's home to a unique ecosystem of plants and wildlife, many of which only exist in the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert.

In addition to containing the world's largest gypsum dunefield, including gypsum hearthmounds found nowhere else on earth, the Park is home to the globe's largest collection of Ice-Age fossilized footprints.

And, I went to the Visitors Center, which is a beautiful southwestern building, with great beams, corbels and light fixtures ...

A gorgeous building

I almost felt like I was a kid again.

Me, Don and Linda at White Sands, 1959

Trip date: September 24-October 7, 2014

Big Circle – Bottomless Lakes State Park

When I was five years old, my family took a vacation throughout Texas and New Mexico. It was the only vacation we ever took that wasn’t to my grandparents’ in Tennessee or to the east coast of Florida. I have extremely vivid memories of three of the places we went: San Antonio, White Sands and Bottomless Lakes State Park.

This trip gave me an opportunity to revisit two of three (I have been back to San Antonio a number of times, but never have I returned to White Sands or Bottomless Lakes.

Returning after many years

Of the two, my strongest memories are of Bottomless Lakes because I was intrigued (frightened) of the name: I envisioned monsters writhing on the deep, deep bottom. I also remember standing with my dad on the top of a very high (to me) cliff looking down at the lake and at an adjacent swimming pool. 

The lake and the pool pulled from an old family movie

I was entranced by the juxtaposition of the dark blue lake and the aqua swimming pool.

Old postcard

So, after Carlsbad, I headed toward the state park, which is very close to Roswell (I know you think Roswell is the alien capital of New Mexico, but the sign says it’s the dairy capital!).

Who knew?

Established in 1933, Bottomless Lakes was the first state park in New Mexico. It takes its name from nine small, deep lakes located along the eastern escarpment (an ancient limestone reef similar to Carlsbad Caverns) of the Pecos River valley. Caves within the limestone collapsed as the river eroded the escarpment, leaving behind nine deep, almost circular lakes known as cenotes.

Cenote

Most are completely surrounded by cliffs, except Lea Lake and Lazy Lagoon. Lea Lake has a large, sandy shoreline on the western side and tall cliffs on the eastern side and is where a marina, picnic area and campground are located.

Lake

It is also the site of the swimming pool, which was destroyed years ago when a portion of the cliff collapsed and created a mini-tsunami.

Ruins

Lazy Lagoon’s cliff is completely eroded away and I didn’t even realize it was one of the lakes. It looks marshy and shallow (turns out in actual has three sinkholes, one of which is 90 feet deep). I didn't take any pictures of Lazy Lagoon.

Mirror Lake is presumably reflective on days when the wind is blowing (it was windy when I was there).

No reflection today

Devil's Inkwell, the smallest, gets its name from the dark color of the water caused by steep sides and algae growth. 

Devil's Inkwell

Figure Eight Lake is two lakes separated by a thin strip of land that merge when the water is high. Irrigation has lowered the water table, so the two lakes rarely join to form a single lake anymore. Cottonwood gets its name from surrounding trees. Pasture Lake is the shallowest of the lakes. Lost Lake is somewhat isolated by cliffs. 

Distant view

The lakes are not fed by streams, but rather by underground water percolating through the rocks and rain. The evaporation rate in the hot climate exceeds the rate at they refill, so they are brackish water in the summer. Eight of the lakes are in the park. The ninth, Dimmitt Lake, is owned by a hunting and fishing club.

The cliff I remembered was about a third of the height I remembered and you can no longer walk to the edge, but otherwise, it was pretty much as I recalled. 

Wind-surfer

I picnicked at Lea Lake and stuck my feet in the gorgeous clear, refreshing water. 

Aaahhhh

I started to take a stroll around the lake, but was driven back by mosquitoes (yes, I forgot repellent). Still, it was great to see it again after 56 years.

Trip date: September 24-October 7, 2014

Big Circle – Carlsbad Caverns

Carlsbad Caverns

So, there I was, hot, dusty and tired from an early morning rising, long drive and two hikes at Guadalupe National Park with a windshield smeared with bugs, heading up to my hotel near Carlsbad Caverns.

I didn’t know what time the Carlsbad Caverns Visitors Center closed and I had gained an hour driving into New Mexico (Mountain Time jags east at the border), so I figured I would drive in and see if I could pick up information for the next day.

Just a few miles in, I saw a sign saying the VC closes at 5:00 p.m. and it was 5:20. So, I turned around, but started thinking … I wondered if you could get in to watch the bats leave the cave. So, I pulled over and Googled it – finding out that there is a bat flight program at the mouth of the cave every night at 6:00 p.m.

So, I turned around and drove the winding, seven-mile trip like a bat out of hill (seems appropriate), arriving at the parking lot at about 6:05 p.m. Then, I had to run down the trail to the cave mouth, where there is a very nice amphitheater that faces the gaping maw. 

Cave entrance

Expecting to burst into a program in session, I was surprised to find that the program had not started yet. So, I settled in.

The program started with a lengthy lecture that all phones and cameras needed to be off and put away because the electronic sounds and lights can scare the bats (I already knew this and had left mine in the car). You can actually get a citation for breaking that rule. That’s why there are no pictures here by me.

Photo: NPS

Then, families with small children were instructed to take any children out who start to cry or move around too much. Most complied, some (grrrrrr) didn’t.

The program is basically filler as you wait for the bats. On this night, which was getting cooler as the sun set (and I hadn’t brought a jacket in my rush), the bats were late – very late. They finally started flying out about an hour after normal. They didn’t leave in one giant mass, but rather than in waves of several hundred at a time. Most flew over our heads or to the right, but some actually buzzed our heads. It was really cool.

Then, I went back to the entrance and checked into the Rodeway Inn, which is literally at the entrance to Carlsbad Caverns. Quick dinner in my room, shower and crash.

I got up early the next morning and drove in so that I could be there when the VC opened. 

Guadalupe Mountains National Park from Carlsbad Caverns National Park 

How many places can you see one National Park from another?

Morning ritual

I got my pass for a self-tour of the cavern (free with my NPS annual pass) and waited until they called the self-tour people to the mouth of the cave a little after 8:30 a.m.

I had last been at Carlsbad Caverns in 1975 and we had taken a guided tour. We were not there in the evening. This was a completely different experience.

I started out quickly to distance myself from the other 6-8 people going in down the trail (many folks take the elevator and skip the mile-long hike in. 

Walking in

The hike in drops 750 feet and it a bit slick. But, it is a well-maintained paved trail with adequate handrails.

Nice path

It was so worth it. I spent almost my entire walk through the cave by myself, with no other people in view.

Carlsbad Cavern includes a large cave chamber, the Big Room, which is almost 4,000 feet long, 625 feet wide and 255 feet high at the highest point (it also has a pit that drops 140 feet down from main cave level). It is the fifth largest chamber in North America and the 28^th largest in the world.

It was magical

About 250 million years ago, the area was the coastline of an inland sea, full of marine life, the remains of which formed a reef. After the water evaporated, the reef was buried by sediments, uplifted and eroded to form the Guadalupe Mountains.

Carlsbad Caverns is in a bed of limestone that is now above groundwater level, but it was within the groundwater zone when it was form. Underneath are major petroleum reserves. 

Looking up

In the Cenozoic period, hydrogen sulfide began to seep upwards from the petroleum into the groundwater. 

Multiple looks

The combination of hydrogen sulfide and oxygen from the water formed sulfuric acid, which dissolved the limestone to form caverns.

Stalactites

Once the acidic groundwater drained from the caverns, speleothems (including stalagmites, stalactites, columns, soda straws, draperies, helictites and popcorn) began to be deposited within the cavern. 

It looks like a fairy castle

Erosion above ground created the natural entrance within the past million years. Exposure to the surface has allowed for the influx of air into the cavern. Rainwater and snowmelt percolating downward pick up carbon dioxide continue the process of building speleothems.

Active formation

Jim White discovered the cavern when he was 16 years old, following what he thought was smoke, but was actually masses of bats.

A pretty view

He explored the cavern with a homemade wire ladder and named many of the rooms. Until 1932, visitors had to walk down the ramp that I took. Then, opened a large visitor center building that contained two elevators. In the interest of time, I took the elevator back up.

I can't believe these photos even came out

About 400,000 bats (primarily Mexican Freetail bats) live in the cave, but that area isn’t open to the public. 

A nice visit

For many years after the cave was discovered, the bat guano was mined and sent to California to fertilize crops. They migrate to Mexico during the winter.

Trip date: September 24-October 7, 2014