Friday, June 24, 2016
Start: McPhee Reservoir Campground, Dolores, CO
Finish: Navajo National Monument, AZ, 9 mi. N of US 160
License Plate game -Saw District of Columbia today, so we saw all 50 states + 1.
Near the McPhee Reservoir is the Arizona Heritage Center, an exceptional Visitor Center managed by the BLM. Their permanent exhibits of pots and other artifacts are superb. Currently their special exhibit was about basketry which was also very well done. They also have a rotating art exhibit which is always interesting to view. There is a $3 fee for adults, under 18 are free. The site is SW of the town of Dolores which has great parks and interesting building, plus all travel services.
Anasazi Heritage Center
Basket exhibit
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Museum display
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Pottery
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From there we traveled to Mesa Verde National Park. It was a pleasure to see their new visitor center, long overdue. It is at the base of the mesa, with all the services provided; trailer & RV parking, tour ticket sales, exhibits and bookstore. There is a section which allows you to look into their collection/archive.
Mesa Verde NP - Visitor and Research Center
From there we drove out to the end of the park to Chapin Mesa, the museum and Post Office. My husband was able to get a postal cancellation with pin the park. We enjoyed a picnic lunch and helped out some kids who were on a day trip with the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, in Cortez, CO. Before they boarded their bus after cleaning up from lunch they were told to find at least 2 pieces of trash from around the picnic ground in order to 'earn' their afternoon snack. To be honest the picnic grounds were very clean, I quickly called the kids over and emptied our bag of carrots and potato chip bag and then helped to tear them into pieces so they could get their 'trash'.
Chapin Mesa
Spruce House Ruins
Post Office
Mariposa Lilly
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In Cortez, heading west on US 160 we stopped for more passport stamps at the Welcome Center, postal cancellation and groceries before returning to Arizona after more than 6 weeks. We ended the day at one of our favorite park sites and campgrounds; Navajo National Monument. We stopped at the visitor center for the passport stamps and Junior Ranger booklet before settling into camp. The camping is free here, even with water and flush toilets. There was a large group for the monthly evening Star Party. Except for a couple of generators that ran past Quiet Hours it was peaceful, luckily there were far enough away it wasn't too annoying. Not as many bird to observe, but we are back in Lizard Country!
Free camping at Navajo NM
Great Sunset - nearing the end of the trip!
Wildlife Sightings
American Goldfinch
House Finch
American Robin
Mourning Dove
Mountain Bluebird
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Turkey Vulture
Common Raven
Gray Flycatcher
Western Scrub Jay
Black-tailed Prairie Dog
Side Blotched Lizard