Stats
Dates Traveled: 6/14-6/18
Miles Traveled: 2039
States: 3 (AZ, NM, TX)
Counties: 17
USA National Parks/Monuments: 4
Other USA Parks/Protected Sites: 2
Points of Interest Visited
Rock Hound State Park, NM
Whites Sands National Monument, NM
Sunspot National Solar Observatory, NM
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM
Guadalupe Mountains National Park, TX
Big Bend National Park, TX
Pictures
WHITE SANDS
Sand
Pattern at White Sands
White
Sands in the Evening
White Sands with
a thunderstorm in the background: pic1
| pic2 | pic3
SUNSPOT NATIONAL
SOLAR OBSERVATORY
View
of White Sands from the Sunspot National Solar Observatory, Sacramento
Peak, NM
Dunn
Solar Telescope at the NSO
Hilltop
Dome at the NSO
GUADALUPE NATIONAL
PARK
Guadalupe
Mountains NP
Agave
at Guadalupe NP
Agave Close-Up
- this one is past peak color
Desert
Spring at Guadalupe NP
Texas
Striped Millipede - this is the longest millipede in the USA (6 inches);
many seen in Guadalupe and Big Bend NP's.
Lizard: pic1
| pic2
CARLSBAD CAVERN NATIONAL PARK
Carlsbad Cavern Bat Flight:
pic1
| pic2 | pic3
- the bats flew later than normal so the pictures are very dark; 300,000
bats are estimated to live in this cave
View from Slaughter
Canyon Cave
Entrance
to Slaughter Canyon Cave - 45 minute hike to reach this point; 2 hour
flashlight tour of the cave
Big Room at Carlsbad Cavern (minimal light,
pictures aren't too good)
Large Column
Draperies
Column
Forming
Big Room
View
Various Cave Formations: pic1
| pic2 | pic3
| pic4 | pic5
| pic6 | pic7
BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK
Big Bend View
Big Bend View
2
View from
Chisos Basin, elevation 5000', mountain 7500'
Cholla Cactus
Santa Elena
Canyon
Rio
Grande Cliffs
Desert Mountain
Mule
Ears | distant view
Mountain
Colors
Tuff Canyon
- Tuff is ancient volcanic ash that has hardened over time
