Smoky Sunrise

Bruce and Sara as National Park Rangers at
Mesa Verde National Park

More Pictures of Hikes, Park Events, Day-Trips, and Weekend Explorations


This page is just a collection of pictures from the last few weeks.

The "smoky sunrise" picture above is from our campground the day after one of our bad fires. Because of almost 15 years of draught and no rain during the end of May and throughout the month of June, this area has been like a tinderbox. And then we started to have lightening storms on July 4th, and the fires started! So far, the fires have been relatively small and nothing like the large ones in some neighboring areas like those in Utah, but nevertheless, they are fires, they are fairly regular, and they all have the potential for becoming serious.

We drove to Canyon de Chelly and to Hovenweep National Monument on one of our "weekends". Needless to say, it was fascinating, hot, but well worth the drive!

Shiprock at a Distance
A picture of Shiprock we took on the way to Canyon de Chelly.
Canyon de Chelly
Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Hovenweep
A view of Hovenweep NM
Another part of Hovenweep
Parts of Hovenweep NM---another of the many Puebloan ruins
in this part of the country.


We've also had opportunities both at the park and in Cortez (our neighboring "big" city) to watch Indian dances, and people trying to dance like Indians!

The drummer boy
The little drummer boy who stole the show!
Indian dancers and Sara
Sara trying her dancing skills in a Hopi dance.


Besides the official hikes within the park, we've also applied for "backcountry permits" and ventured out to see other sights---for instance, Mug House, a cliff dwelling that is now closed to the public. And on another "weekend" we went to the Salmon ruins just south of us.

Mug House
Mug House--one of the many "closed" sites within the park
Salmon Ruin
Salmon Ruins between Bloomfield and Farmington, NM

Of course, it's always good to "come home" after a long day of being tourists!

Mesa Verde from the Montezuema Valley
Mesa Verde from the Montezuema Valley




We are still having fun, we still enjoy each day, and we still feel very, very lucky to be here!



Go to the next page..... More Hikes, Park II

Return to opening page Bruce and Sara at Mesa Verde National Park


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