Exploring Arizona: Wupatki

Filling out his Junior Ranger packet  

Working with friends on the Junior Ranger packet

Checking out the blowhole near the ball court at Wupatki

Wupatki Ballcourt

Getting their Junior Ranger badge for Wupatki

A short drive from Sunset Crater is Wupatki National Monument. In this seemingly barren desert people lived, building homes and raising families. The pueblos clustered in this area are from the ancient ancestors of the Hopi, Zuni and other puebloan people. The structures are truly fascinating. The main pueblo would have had 100 rooms. The people who lived here were farmers as well as hunters. There is evidence of trade among the ruins, and the existence of a ball court shows that peoples in the area traveled and shared cultural interests. It became a gathering place for people within fifty miles. While walking through the site, the kids found pottery shards by one of the gathering places. It was an amazing discovery that they were able to share with the Ranger, who encouraged their interest. The shards were set back where we found them once we looked at the design and felt the smooth face. I found it interesting that this pueblo housed different peoples over the course of time. They maintained the pueblo constantly and had areas for food stores preparing for eventual crop failures. Water would have been scarce even then, so buildings were erected with water preservation in mind. Archeologists have found huge ollas that were used for water storage and collecting runoff from the buildings. We spent a bit of time talking to the ranger. He was full of interesting information and even shared his journey to becoming a park ranger. We would like to come back and explore again in winter to see how the landscape changes.

Exploring Arizona: Sunset Crater

Recently our family took a detour to explore Sunset Crater. We were fortunate to be joined by friends, one of whom has an deep interest in geology. Sunset Crater is the result of a volcanic eruption over 900 years ago. The resultant landscape is one of twisted Ponderosa Pines and cinder deposits. You can see the flow of the lava that devastated the area. When we first arrived we discussed the bleak landscape so different from the forested areas nearby (Flagstaff, AZ is 12 miles away). Each of the kiddos picked up a piece of cinder noting how lightweight it was. We talked a bit about pumice and the air pockets in the rock.

As we meandered along the trail, wildlife and flora became more apparent. Between rocky crags, small plants emerged. We noticed desert shrubs and the beginnings of tree stands. Our friend acted as our guide pointing out other cinder cones, splatter cones, and gas vents. He mentioned that a lava tube, currently blocked, was once accessible. The kiddos noticed how cool the air was near the boarded up opening. Although the region was populated with farmers (the Sinagua), no human remains have been found at the site. It seems that the peoples of the time had warning of the volcanic activity. It was interesting to surmise what warnings they had and their keen observations of nature. The kiddos really enjoyed exploring the site. They worked a bit on their junior ranger packet as they skipped and ran ahead. It was really a nice trip to an impressive geological site.

A Devil of a Tower

The final national park we visited was Devils Tower in Wyoming. In 1906 this soaring landmark was the first to be declared a U.S. National Monument. Dave remembered visiting the tower as a youth and of course recalled its inclusion in popular culture.

Can you spot the climbers? 

The kiddos were amazed by this structure. We spotted it as we drove along the road and marveled at how impressive it appeared. Dave mentioned hiking around it as a kid, but he remembered it as a long hike. I found some informations indicating there was a quick route around the circumference and a park ranger confirmed this. We set off to explore. The kiddos spotted a few animals and most of the answers to their junior ranger guides as we walked. The path was paved and quite easy. We saw climbers ascending the face of the tower. The kiddos wondered how the climbers scaled such a mountain. We read about the tactics many climbers use and noted that the tower is a popular climbing spot. Dave was fascinated by the many fallen rocks which surrounded the tower. I noticed that many were hexagonal, and there was a placard discussing this. It made it very real when we could touch the mammoth fallen rocks and try to determine where they had sheared off the tower.

The climber was descending the side of the tower

We ended our time at Devils Tower in the learning center reading about the significance of this site to so many different cultures. The kiddos were enthralled by the Native American stories and prayer flags. We finished up the day talking with a very kind park ranger who shared other stories. The kiddos then earned their badge, and we set off for more exploring.