We spent a few days in central New Mexico to visit the Bernardo Wildlife Management Area. This is another managed area along the Rio Grande River which provides feed and habitat for wintering birds, especially Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese. Bernardo WMA is about 45 miles north of the more well known Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.
Near the town of Bluff, Utah, is an easily accessible rock art panel known as the Sand Island Petroglyphs.
After visiting the petroglyph site, we drove up through Butler Wash. The west edge of Butler Wash is defined by an impressive geologic feature named Comb Ridge.
Fish Mouth Cave in Comb Ridge
Near the end of our drive we visited the Butler Wash Dinosaur Tracksite.
Another interesting site not far from Blanding, Utah, is a group of pueblo ruins called the Cave Tower Ruins. At this location there are the ruins of seven stone towers built on the mesa top along the edge of Mule Canyon. In alcoves in the canyon walls below, the ruins of pueblos can be seen.
Upper Butler Wash and the Abajo Mountains in the distance viewed from Highway 95
Some plants to avoid stumbling into
Trail markings on the slickrock
The most complete of the tower ruins
Mule Canyon
There appears to be a spring at the head of the canyon.
Pueblo ruins along the canyon walls
After visiting the Cave Tower Ruins, we drove further west to visit Natural Bridges National Monument.
The bridges are formed by the streams eroding through the walls in bends of the canyon.
Stating the obvious
Sipapu Bridge
Kachina Bridge
Owachomo Bridge
The "trail" to the Horse Collar Ruin Overlook
Horse Collar Ruin
We spent a few days based in Blanding, Utah, to revisit the Cedar Mesa area which contains many pueblo ruins set in a very dramatic landscape.
One spot that I had seen images of and wished to visit is a ruin informally called "House on Fire". When the light conditions are right, the weathered underside of the overhang that the ruin was built under gives the illusion of flames coming out of the structure.
A few images from the hike up the south fork of Mule Canyon to the site.
Interesting seed pods
The ruins were built under an overhang along the canyon wall.
The "House on Fire" illusion
I found it interesting that someone had provided this box containing information about the site.
A couple of images from the hike out
