03/10/2016 to 03/11/2016
Yes these are our intrepid traveling companions made famous in other trips. This time we are going to Acoma Pueblo (well back to Acoma for us) and do some of the other sites in the area as well.
As they say best laid plans and all that, even though we had emailed and called to make sure the pueblo was open during the week it was not. However we still had a great time and saw some of the other attractions in the area.
We visited here way back in 2011 but it is such a great place we wanted to see it again.
We did the walk around the base of the cliff, looking at the many inscriptions and petroglyphs. Then we took the trail up to the old pueblo ruins. The views are just amazing.
El Morro Visitors Center
Starting the Inscription Trail
Inscription Trail goes around those bluffs
OK you really do not need a cairn but it is so nicely done it deserves a picture
Some of the petroglyphs
Some of the inscriptions show better penmanship in stone than I have on paper
Cliff swallow nests
The pool - which was why this area was so well visited
Starting up Headland Trail
The intrepid expedition
No idea what tickled Arlene so
Staying on the path can be a little tough
Going up you see this large rock face with a large erosion split
The same rock from the other side
The ruins
Yes that is us
And our friends
The trail offers a grand view of the valley floor
We decided to do the "Fire and Ice" tour. This is the fire part of the tour.
The trail winds around what is left of the volcanic cone and ends at a nice overlook. Along the way you see some nice lava fields as well as junipers and pinons.
Lots of dark ash and sparse vegetation
One of the lava formations
The caldera at the end of the trail
As you can guess this is the Ice portion of the Fire & Ice attraction. The trail is short with lots of volcanic rock along teh way. At the end is the ice cave - which is permanently frozen hence the name.
We enjoyed both this and the volcano even if they do seem a little schlocky at first glance. For us it is nice knowing a small family attraction can still deliver a nice day.
The Visitor Center and store
Lots of volcanic rocks along the trail
And snow locked in some of the less exposed crevices
We loved these pretty swirling things
More rocks
This was used as a cellar
Before there was a refrigerator there was this natural cool cellar
The trail had lots of interesting stumps, plants and trees. I see a face in this one
The ice cave
The stairs would not meet safety standards if built today but they work just fine
The landing above the solid sheet of ice in the cave
The ice is different colors in different areas
Just some amazing ice formations
Ice, rocks and snow. OK so my mind went to Walkers and the Night Watch.
Since we could not do the pueblo we added a little stop to this arch. It is a ways down the road but quite easy to reach.
There is a little walk to the base and voila there is the arch.
As you can see it is not much of a walk to the bottom of the arch
It was a nice little stop