Cross Canyon View — The Story
The National Park Service offered a cross canyon hike to enable viewing of the Cliff Dwellings from a much different perspective. Quite a few folks took advantage of the opportunity, all photographers. The hike was fun, especially since we were not on an official trail and had to bush whack our way through high desert scrub. We needed to always look carefully before stepping. We talked about our plans for photographing the Cliff Dwellings. As we went along we shared stories of how we came to be there that day. And, we tried to identify all the plants, birds, and animals that we saw. Once at our destination we set up our tripods and got down to the business of photography. In this panorama you can see the regular official trail on the other side right below the Dwelling rooms. We were probably about 800 ft directly across from the Cliff Dwellings and about 1,000 ft above the canyon floor.
Cross Canyon View Two — The Story
Adding a few more images on either side of the panorama, creates this much more expansive view. A few more rooms are now visible on the left and the depth of the canyon is now visible on the right. There is a greater sense of the magnitude of the place. Several hundred people are believed to have lived here in the ancient past. And the mystery of why they left remains.
Cross Canyon View Three — The Story
I decided to explore the view from the closest edge. Just a few feet more and I’d be tumbling down the side of the canyon that served as a protective barrier for the people who lived in the Gila Cliff Dwellings. Once inside those rooms, no one could approach in secret. The natural geologic formation creates a 3-pronged natural barrier: the Cliff Dwellings; the rocky face we hikers were standing on; and the mesa to the right. Each is separated by a deep canyon gorge. As we allow our imaginations to place ourselves back into history, when the native peoples lived here. we can clearly see that surviving in this country was indeed a challenge. Yet for us, it is a place of great natural beauty and wonder.
Cross Canyon View Four — The Story
Same general location as View Three but a few feet back from the very edge of the cross canyon formation. From this view you can see almost every dwelling cave that makes up the Gila Cliff Dwellings unit. The cross canyon rocks and desert scrub plants that I am standing on are more easily seen. But the mesa at the right is no longer visible.
Wide, Wide Wilderness — The Story
I was on my way to visit the Gila Wilderness for the first time. I didn’t know what to expect other than reports from friends. The road kept rising and the scenic views were getting more magnificent! Luckily there were a number of roadside pullouts so drivers could take more time and avoid driving off the cliffs! There was a heavy storm in the neighborhood making the area dark and ominous. But then a big streak of sunshine broke through and gave a bright, saturated color to the rocks. Had to pull over for that one! As I looked out I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of stories were unfolding in that great wide expanse of wilderness!
Looking Through The Pines at The Wilderness
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Climbing The Hill To The Cliff Dwellings
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Along The Cliff Dwellings Trail
Entering Little Bear Canyon
Beginning Little Bear Canyon Trail
innin
Entering the Narrows
The Middle Fork Through The Willows
Jewell Like Patterns of the Middle Fork
A Shallow Place Along The Middle Fork
Smooth River Rocks of the Middle Fork
Middle Fork Rushes Over Colorful Rocks
Emerald Greens of Spring
Gentle Flow of The Middle Fork
Clear Water of The Middle Fork
Rapids on The Middle Fork
Reflections in the Middle Fork — The Story
I had just arrived at the monument and was slowly getting acquainted with the wonders of the area. It was too late in the day to venture out very far, but still I was curious. I came upon a portion of the Middle Fork of the Gila and was able to follow it along the bank for about a mile. I was intrigued by the very colorful reflections that I was seeing. I wanted to go father but didn’t have my water shoes with me. More exploration would have to wait for another day.
Fresh Blooms — The Story
As I explored the many wonderful trails in the Gila Wilderness, I came upon many varieties of wild flowers. This group of Prickly Pear blossoms was just opening up. You can even see bits of new pollen on the flower’s stamens. I am always intrigued by the fragile looking flower petals of many cactus blooms. Such a contrast, the very sharp spines of the cacti, next to delicate, sheer tissue like petals of the blooms.
Inside the Cliff Dwellings — The Story
I was on the regular tour offered by a volunteer for the Park Service and decided to take a few moments to look around and to imagine what life may have been like several centuries ago. No written history exists to explain this choice of living space so all we can do is study bits of evidence and make guesses. It seems it would have been a hard life even though it is protected from harsh weather and intruders. People on the tour wondered how small children got around or learned how to climb the steep canyon walls. That would have been a most important lesson indeed.
Jewels of the River — The Story
This was my first close-up view of the Middle Fork of the Gila River. The water level was very low, but fast flowing. The sun was bright. The wonderful multi-colored rocks on the bottom of the river were a joy to see. It’s hard to capture the essence of the jewel like moving water in bright sunlight, but you can almost feel the cooling shimmer in this photograph.
Bear Creek, Gila Wilderness — The Story
The Gila is such an intriguing place I decided to visit the area once again only this time I camped along Bear Creek in April. Weather can be pretty unpredictable in April I soon learned and this impacted my choices for photographic exploration. I ended up walking along a section of Bear Creek that is outside the Monument area. It was in a deep canyon, well protected from the strong winds hitting the area. There were many lovely Cottonwood trees just starting to leaf out but blowing fiercely so I had to get down low, close to the creek. Seeing water of almost any kind is s real treat in New Mexico, so I concentrated on capturing portions of the fast-moving creek. The panels can be enjoyed individually or together in a group. I really enjoy the jewel like churned up water with richly hued river rocks or diamond like splashes.
Junction — The Story
A friend had told me, if there was time to do just one long hike during my first visit to the Gila Wilderness, she recommended the Little Bear Canyon to Middle Fork of the Gila as one of the best day hikes. She was absolutely right! The month was May, the water in Little Bear Canyon was low, creek crossings were easy and there was an abundance of great wildflowers to see. Once through the very narrow slot canyon, the trail opened up to the view you see above. This was where the Middle Fork and Little Bear Creek come together. The water was pretty low here too. It felt like a different world. And it certainly was a long way from civilization, about 4-1/2 miles. I shared my lunch with some fellow hikers I had met along the way and then we started back, very reluctantly leaving this beautiful, peaceful place.
Undulating Wall —The Story
I was visiting the Cliff Dwellings in the Gila National Monument for the first time. Fascinating place. All sorts of history mixed with beautiful scenery. I had taken the walk to the Cliff Dwellings and heard the Ranger’s interpretative talk. Now I was on my way back to the trail head but with more information about what I was seeing. I wanted to capture the beauty but the trail was steep and very close to the actual dwellings. They are, after all, on cliffs! I kept stopping and looking up, wondering how I could frame a nice shot. Then this view filled my camera viewfinder. Being so close, the dwelling…like a sculpture…seemed alive, moving, rolling, undulating. It was a place still filled with energy and important history.
Hole in The Stormy Sky — The Story
I had made it to my camping spot in the Gila and now I was trying to fit in a short exploratory hike before the storm that threatened got rolling. I was walking along the Middle Fork of the Gila when a hole appeared in the sky. The white color was translucent and delicate amidst the dark and foreboding black storm clouds. There was even a beautiful reflection of this delicate sky on the Gila River. A bonus!
Bear Creek Mosaic — The Story
There is something fascinating to me about watching water flowing over river rocks, especially when the water is low enough that you can see the bottom of the creek or river. There are many colors. The patterns created are varied and quickly changing. Are we seeing jewels? A jigsaw puzzle? An intricate pattern of tiles? Let’s try to catch it for just a moment and study it!
Grassy Abstract — The Story
The trail up to the Cliff Dwellings follows along a narrow canyon with a seasonal stream and various wildflowers. This particular place caught my eye, the afternoon sun brought out a golden glow on the chaotic pattern of the end of season dried grass.
The Fallen, The Burned, The New