4-30-14 (Pictures below)


Another cold, breezy day but we bundled up and we were on our way.  Our adventure today took us to Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments.  We can not say enough good things about the National Parks we have been too so far.  The rangers are wonderful.  We can say that our government needs to increase the funds to these parks as they are in need of upkeep.  We know the rangers do the best they can, we just need to get our government to back them up and preserve our National Parks and history. 


About a 1,000 years ago a 1,000 foot high cinder cone, known today as Sunset Crater grew where forest had been.  The volcano ash buried about 64,000 acres of potential farm land.  All the hills and mountains in the area are volcanos.  They are part of 2,200 square miles of landscape, lava flows,  cinder cones and other wonders known as the San Francisco field.  The San Francisco Mountain shown in the pictures was named after St. Francis.  In the pictures you can tell the volcano ash is still prevalent everywhere.  Trees and shrubs are again lining these hill and mountains.   Different elevations support different habitats.  The upper elevation supports Squirrels and blue steller jays.  The middle elevations supports jackrabbits and pronghorn antelope.  The lower elevation and lower lands support lizards, snakes, coyotes and bobcats.


Jim and I walked the lava trail and it was just magnificent to walk among history that happened over 1,000 years ago. 


At the Wupatki National Park we saw a Big House or Hopi and and the Citadel Pueblo.  The Hopi and the Citadel is what is left of the culture of the puebloan people that occupied this land during the 1,100. 


Until tomorrow,
Jim and Debbie