Down We Go!

A beautiful sunrise opened another beautiful day in Seminole Canyon State Historic Park.

For our third day’s activity we decided to drive down to the Visitors’ Center for the ranger-led hike to the canyon floor.  Our objective was to view pictographs up close.  Our hike started at the back of the center,

and went down 300’ to the canyon floor. 

We started from the visitors’ center up there.  This location is several miles north of the part of the canyon rim we hiked along yesterday.

We visited two rock shelters to see this paintings.  Fate Bell is the name of the dude that gave this land to the state park.  There is no way to preserve these paintings except by copying. 

Far left bottom, first and second figures

To the left of the fold in the rock looks like a rocket to me!  To the right it looks like a flag on a staff and a bunch of horseshoes, but supposedly these paintings are much older than the coming of Spanish explorers.

The motif of the winged creature with wings touching two other figures appears more than once.

Our guide demonstrating how the three figures seem to represent all peoples facing east—perhaps some type of origin story?  No one knows for sure.

 

It is speculated that these white figures may represent deceased ancestors.

View south down the canyon,

and north.  After the tour everyone was free to stay and talk to the guide or wander back at their own pace.  You can see that we came down to the canyon floor, then about halfway up to the rock shelter.  Back down and back up we went.

By the time we were back at the visitors’ center we had more muscles complaining of our abuse—but it was worth it!

More fun tomorrow.

Louise and Duane