One of the most iconic American art pieces celebrates four iconic figures from American history. Mount Rushmore’s presidential faces look over South Dakota’s majestic Black Hills. Meanwhile, another nearby mountain reveals the face of another historical figure, a native of … Continued
Just outside of the small city of Waco, Texas, paleontologists have uncovered what may some call an elephant graveyard at Waco Mammoth National Monument. It is the largest concentration of mammoth fossils known, and was declared a National Monument in … Continued
I exited Interstate-25 heading southeast through New Mexico toward Texas when I saw a sign for Capulin Volcano National Monument. My interest was piqued as I find volcanoes interesting and I love visiting National Park Service properties. I didn’t know … Continued
Just up the highway from Pikes Peak is Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, a treasure trove of Eocene fossils. The most spectacular fossils for visitors to experience are the massive petrified redwood tree stumps found near the heart of the park … Continued
Spread across the border of Utah and Colorado, Dinosaur National Monument preserves both a treasure trove of fossils including dinosaur bones you can touch and scenic canyons carved by the Green and Yampa Rivers. Unless you plan to ride the … Continued
Absalom Lehman, rancher on the Snake Range in Nevada, was enjoying a sandwich one warm afternoon when a pack rat made off with it. The sandwich was too good to let the varmint make off with it, so Absalom hopped … Continued
The whole of northern Arizona and the four corners region seems to be pocked with canyons including those comprising Navajo National Monument. These rocky crevasses served ancient inhabitants of these areas as safe places to build communities and farm with … Continued
Hiking down a 1,000 foot cliff to see a 1,000-year-old cliff dwelling in Canyon de Chelly National Monument I met a woman making the same trek for the fourth time that week. She wasn’t there as a tourist but to … Continued
The Ancestral Sonoran people known as the Hohokam once numbered as many as 50,000 people around what is now Phoenix. With this large population came expansive civilization with multiple large communities or pueblos. With petroglyphs being part of the Taliesin … Continued
Continued from Flagstaff’s Three National Monuments part 1 posted 25 Nov. 2014 Sunset Crater National Monument One hypothesis of why the people of Wupatki left almost 1,000 years ago is the significance of the neighboring Sunset Crater National Monument. This … Continued