Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Red Rock State Park, Sedona

One last stop for today at Red Rock State Park in Sedona.

The park has a visitor's center, hiking trails, and beautiful red rocks.



We arrive just in time to take a walk with a park ranger who explains the rocks and vegetation. It's not too strenuous - I'm carrying my purse, not some kind of pack.


Can you see the petroglyphs in the rocks in the center of this picture?


What about now? I'm glad the ranger was there to point them out to us!


Prickly pear cactus are a favorite food of the javelina. Humans eat the fruit and the pads also - after removing the spines. The natives of this region used to knock the fruit off the cactus with a stick and then roll the fruit in sand to remove the spines. The fruit was eaten fresh, or dried and stored for later.


Oak Creek flows through the park, and Jim and I take a walk along the riparian habitat.


The rock formations all have names. This is the Seven Warriors formation. The rocks are red due to oxidation - that's right - rust!


This is the House of Apache Fire, built when this land was privately owned. The roof of the house was badly damaged in a storm, so the house is no longer safe.


Cathedral Rock


Now it's on to Flagstaff, for Mexican food and sleep!

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