El Morro National Monument – New Mexico
Carved in Stone – Inscription Rock
According to act-test-centers, El Morro National Monument is located in western New Mexico State – USA – and includes a rock formation called Inscription Rock. In the vast, flat plains of New Mexico, El Morro National Monument is an important landmark in the landscape that was important to travelers in ancient times. There is a natural water reservoir at the edge of the rock formation.
El Morro – View of Inscription Rock
The rocks there are richly inscribed, as many of the travelers carved their initials, names or other symbols into the rocks. Even before the arrival of the white settlers, today’s El Morro National Monument was used by “Native Americans” as a camp and resting place.
Carving into the rocks is forbidden
In 1906, Inscription Rock and the area surrounding it were declared a National Monument. The size of the protected area is 4.2 km². Since the establishment of El Morro National Monument, it has been forbidden to carve any further signs into the rocks of Inscription Rock.
About 60,000 tourists visit El Morro National Monument in New Mexico each year. The nearest town to Inscription Rock is Ramah, New Mexico.
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Living on the Cliff
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is located in southwest New Mexico, USA. Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument was established in 1907. The closest city to the National Monument is Silver City. Overall, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is quite awkward to get to; the roads to the sanctuary are winding and narrow.
Rock dwellings in New Mexico – Gila Cliff Dwellings
The center of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is stone dwellings carved under overhanging cliffs, similar to the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde, Colorado.
Mogollon culture
In the 13th to 14th centuries, peoples of the “Native Americans” (referred to as the Mogollon culture) lived in the rock dwellings. Mogollon cultures have been documented as settling in this region of New Mexico as early as the 1st century. Numerous ruins of buildings and finds from this past culture were discovered during excavations. The National Monument is located within the Gila National Forest and Gila Wilderness.
Stream Landscape – Gila Cliff Dwellings
Rock dwellings at Gila Cliff
Guided tours along the Gila Cliff – rock dwellings are offered almost all year round. A guided tour takes about 30 minutes. Viewed from the Gila Cliff dwellings once inhabited by Native Americans, the surrounding area is popular with hikers and backpackers. There are hot springs in close proximity to the Cila Cliff Dwellings National Monument.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park – New Mexico
Stalactite caves and desert landscape
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in the US state of New Mexico. In 1923, today’s protected area was declared a national monument. As early as 1930, the area received the status of a national park in the USA. The Carlsbad Caverns are located within the Guadalupe Mountains.
Color-lit caves – Carlsbad Caverns
In 1995, Carlsbad Caverns National Park received World Heritage status from UNESCO. The size of Carlsbad Caverns National Park is 189 km². Approximately 400,000 visitors come to Carlsbad Caverns National Park each year.
Huge cave system
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is known for its stalactite caves. The national park in New Mexico shows rock formations that have arisen from a former reef. One room of the Carlsbad Caves is among the largest and deepest underground rooms in the world (Lechuguilla Cavern).
Home of bats
The deepest cave in the cave system is 487 meters underground. Very few of the stalactite caves are accessible to visitors. The surface area of Carlsbad Caverns National Park is very desert-like.
“Aerial” landscape in Carlsbad Caverns National Park
In summer, a special spectacle takes place in front of certain caves every evening, when thousands of bats fly out of the caves to search for food at dusk. The flight of the bats can last more than two hours.
Wilderness Area
The above-ground portion of Carlsbad Caverns National Park is protected as a Wilderness Area. Camping in the national park is only permitted with the permission of the park administration.
Guided tours through the caves
Already a very long time ago Indians, Native Americans stayed in the caves. As a result, valuable Native American drawings can be found in some areas of Carlsbad Caverns.
The caves are accessible all year round. In the summer it can get quite crowded. There are more than 100 explored caves in Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The caves are more or less easily accessible. The most famous cave in the national park is called “Big Room”; The cave called “Lechuguilla Cavern” is also very worth seeing.
