TravelingScientist.blog

Tag: nature

  • Shiprock

    Shiprock

    Things to Do in the Navajo Nation, New Mexico, USA

    Tsé Bitʼaʼí (“rock with wings” or “winged rock”) is located within the Diné Bikéyah (ancestral lands of the people) in northwest New Mexico.

    Visible for up to 50 miles away, the landmark’s name of Shiprock comes from the formation’s resemblance to a 19th century clipper ship.

    Shiprock is the eroded remnant, or volcanic neck, of an explosive volcanic eruption that happened about 27 to 30 million years ago. It formed when cooling magma solidified inside the vent of a volcano. Over millions of years, softer surrounding rock eroded away, leaving the hard volcanic core and radiating vertical rock walls called dikes exposed. 

    Shiprock is a monadnock  — an isolated rock hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain that rises abruptly from a gently sloping or virtually level surrounding plain. It rises ~1500 feet above the high-desert plain and has a peak elevation of almost 7200 ft above sea level.

    Because it is a sacred site, climbing and hiking on the peak or driving on the dirt roads leading directly to it are strictly forbidden. Visitors must view and photograph the landmark from nearby paved roads like US Highway 491 or Indian Service Route 13. The formation is 11 miles southeast of the town of Shiprock, which is a good place to stop for fuel and snacks.

    Some of best views are along paved ISR 13 on the southern side of the formation that actually goes through one of the volcanic dikes. That’s where I took these photographs.

    There are small pull-outs along the road shoulder, so you can safely park and get out of your vehicle to take photographs. One of the larger pullouts has a dirt road headed towards the formation, but remember it is illegal to visit without a Navajo guide. If you have the time and want to get closer and learn from a native guide, book with Navajo Tours.

  • Newspaper Rock

    Newspaper Rock

    Things to Do in Utah

    Newspaper Rock is an impressive petroglyph site located along Indian Creek in southeastern Utah. On a recent work trip, I was driving from Cortez, Colorado northwest to Moab, Utah. Along Highway 191, I passed the sign for Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument. I had seen photographs of the petroglyphs before but had never visited the real thing. So, I decided to take the 13-mile one-way detour to visit the site. From Hwy 191, you turn west at another popular photo op stop along the highway at Church Rock on UT-211. This road drives through parts of Bears Ears National Monument (managed by the Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service) and leads into the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park (National Park Service).

    There’s a small parking area with a composting toilet and map kiosk at the turnout on the right side of UT-211 just after you drive through the trees along Indian Creek. It is just a few hundred-meter walk to the panel protected by a fence railing. In fact, this is one of the few petroglyph sites that I know of that is ADA compliant and is accessible by those with mobility issues.

    When I arrived in the late afternoon, there was no one else there. I could have stared at the panel for hours, but it was getting late and a thunderstorm was moving in, so after about 30 minutes I got back and headed north towards Moab. Most people will be content with a 10-minute look, but I’m an archaeology nerd.

    This panel displays multiple periods of imagery from cultures dating from 2000 years ago to recent times. The older art is attributed to the Basketmaker and Ancestral Puebloan people. The more recent petroglyphs are attributed to the Ute people who still live in the Four Corners area.

    There’s both camping within Bears Ears National Monument and also the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, further along UT-211 past Newspaper Rock. I’ll also say that I passed a really cool glamping operation at the intersection of Hwy 191 and UT-211 called Glamping Canyonlands that I am definitely going to check out the next time I’m in the area. And, you are only about 50 miles south of Moab. I can only imagine that the stargazing here is amazing.

    Check out this really cool 3D model of the site on Ancient Art Archive‘s website.

  • Waterfalls of Great Falls

    Waterfalls of Great Falls

    Things To Do in Great Falls, Montana, USA

    I recently had a work conference in Great Falls, Montana. I make it a point to go do a few adventures anytime I travel for work, especially when it is a place that I have never been to before. I didn’t have a lot of free time, but I carved out a few hours to visit the CM Russell Museum and drive out to Black Eagle, one of the waterfalls for which Great Falls gets its name. I do have some great food recommendations as I did get to go out for lunch and dinner several different days.

    Near the town of Great Falls, there are five waterfalls along a ten-mile stretch of the Missouri River. Traveling along the river west to east: Black Eagle Falls, Colter Falls (submerged), Rainbow Falls, Crooked Falls, and the Great Falls (Big Falls). It took Lewis & Clark 33 days to portage all five falls. As a 7th grade kid, I was fascinated by Lewis & Clark and read much of their journals – so visiting one of the falls was extra special.

    I visited Black Eagle Falls, which are the closest to town just north of the city grid. My photos were taken from the Black Eagle Falls Dam View on the south side of the river along River Drive. But, if you have more time, you can cross the river and take North River Road to a parking area near the Black Eagle Plant Powerhouse. From there, you can cross a suspension bridge to Black Eagle Memorial Island to get more up-close views of the falls. There are also walking trails along the river on the south side of the river that go for several miles to view many of the waterfalls.

    Just upstream of Black Eagle Falls along Giant Springs Road is the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and Giant Springs State Park. I was disappointed that the interpretive center was closed on Mondays. I’ll have to come back!