Fun in the Sand and Sun

Over the summer, I went to a Navajo Reservation in eastern Arizona. While I was there, I had a couple extra days to explore the area between the reservation and Albuquerque, New Mexico, along Interstate 40. My only limitation was I was with a group, and not everyone was able to do everything.
A couple trail ideas came out of Craig Martin’s 100 Hikes in New Mexico. Two involved some mountain climbing and the group didn’t have the time. One trail would take us up the Sandia Mountains, which overlook Albuquerque. The second would take us to the summit of Mount Taylor along I-40. Both mountains are over 10,000 feet. One trail we were able to do was in El Morro National Monument. The trail led along the base of a mesa, but the mesa had inscriptions on its base from pioneers passing through the area. The trail had a guide book that told the stories of the inscriptions at each numbered section. Two more interesting parts of New Mexico lay in El Malpais National Monument. The first was a short trail to La Ventana Arch, New Mexico’s second largest natural arch. Also in the park was an overlook on top of sandstone bluffs which viewed a massive lava field through which the Zuni-Acoma Trail passes.
However, my explorations in Arizona were far better than my ones in New Mexico. First of all, Arizona’s Window Rock is much more impressive than the arch in New Mexico. Plus, the trail led up and behind the arch so you could look through it and see the landscape. But, by far, the best trip was to Canyon de Chelly. One problem with the canyon is since the Navajo still live there, you are not free to roam the bottom of the canyon, but there is a trail called the Whitehouse Trail which takes you to impressive cliff dwellings. Surprisingly, hiking in the desert is not that strenuous. Although the air is warmer than in the Northeast, it is not as hot due to the lowered humidity. Armed with my multiple water bottles, I descended the switchbacks carved into the red rocks while losing easily hundreds of feet of elevation. The dwelling sits carved into the base of a vertical cliff. A descent into a canyon is definitely an awesome experience. Also, the scenic overlooks are incredible. The most spectacular is the one at Spider Rock. The rock is an over 800 foot spire. The overlook actually looks down upon the spire, making it seem almost small. Pretty much, the desert is an awesome place to explore. It is an environment that at least I am not used to. And if you are prepared, I a sure you will have a spectacular time. I can’t wait until I get to go back again.