El Morro NM, Fri, 4/2/21

We weren't in a hurry; we didn't have too far to go.  But after seeing the glorious sunrise, below, we hopped in Tergel and took off.

An easy drive, a straight shot down Hwy 491 from Teec Nos Pos, across I-40, to El Morro (The Headland) National Monument, and we arrived forenoon.  That's essential to the story, because a) it's Friday, and b) the campground has only nine sites and we got the last and only available site Tergel could fit in.  The length limit was 27'.  Tergel is 26'.11", so we squeaked in!  When I went to the entry kiosk to pay, I couldn't find the price or a place to put the money ... only to discover the campsites are first-come, first-served and fee-free!  Such a deal.  And ohmygosh, what a beautiful, restful campground.  (Heck, truth be told, we didn't really know there was a campground here!)

El Morro

After settling in (for two weekend nights), Jimmy and I drove the short distance to the VC, which was closed, but a ranger manned a contact window to answer questions, give brochures, and offer advice.  She asked if we were interested in taking a hike.  You know we said yes.  She suggested a must see:  the Inscription Rock Trail, a mere three-quarter-mile trail along the base of the bluff, to the pool (pool?), past some of the 2,000 carved signatures, dates, messages, and petroglyphs.  Oh boy, it sounded exciting and we were ready.

At 7200', El Morro's in Pinyon Pine and Juniper country.  Winter is just wrapping up at this elevation.  Deciduous trees are still bare and spring flowers nonexistent.  Patches of snow lay on the ground where the sun doesn't reach.

On the trail to the pool and inscription rocks.

The path is paved and accessible.

To the pool, above, and below, "the oasis!"

You'll probably have to enlarge the picture below to read about the pool.  Swallows had already returned and were making their mud nests on the rock above the pool.  Use your back arrow to return to this post.

By the pool, Jimmy is dwarfed by the massive sandstone bluff.

What an awe-inspiring feeling, being there. 

Stories in stone.

This is one of the oldest inscriptions from 1692, altho the oldest recorded was inscribed in 1605, fifteen years before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, by the first Governor of New Mexico, Don Juan de Oñate.

As you can see, this reliable waterhole hidden at the base of El Morro was a boon to many travelers, including Ancestral Puebloans, Spanish, and American alike over hundreds of years.  People carved their names and dates and messages, even petroglyphs, telling others "we were here."  Kind of like the Kilroy Was Here meme, popular in World War II.  You will be happy to learn that no modern graffiti is etched in the sandstone ... imagine what that would say.

I've included only a handful; we looked at many, many more.  We spent a long time, wandering from panel (they were numbered) to panel, amazed at what we were seeing.  I'd wanted to come to El Morro Nat'l Monument for a long time, but hadn't researched it; hence, neither of us knew what to expect ... we had no idea the wonder of it all.

Later, those puffy white clouds formed a committee and the sky grew dark.  We retreated to Tergel to shut windows.  The wind picked up.  We expected a cloudburst.  But we are in high and dry New Mexico, where virga is the norm, and 16 tiny drops fell on the windshield.

Lucky us, we have another full day here tomorrow.