El Morro National Monument

Here are some photos from today's visit to El Morro National Monument here in El Morro, New Mexico. The monument is an impressive park with an informative visitor's center stocked with interesting and worthy books. The paths and hikes within the park are memorable and spectacular, with unique features of natural beauty and splendor that capture the imagination and are simply candy for the eyes.

One of the highlights of the park is "Inscription Rock", a place where hundreds of travelers carved their names and other information in the sandstone over the centuries. From U.S. cavalry to Spanish explorers and Mexican officials, many men (and only a few rare women) took the time to make sure their names and history were recorded in stone.

At the top of the cliffs,  the ancient excavated pueblo of Atsinna affords a glimpse of the past and even more spectacular vistas from on high. Atsinna was active from 1275 to 1350 AD, with more than 800 rooms carved into the sandstone or constructed from mud and adobe bricks.