October 22, 2023: This morning we checked out the Rio Grande River Gorge and Bridge, and Earthship Biotecture nearby before heading to Great Sand Dunes National Park for some sand fun. We took the Enchanted Circle Drive back to Taos through the Carson National Forest.
This is one of example of the buildings made from recycled materials Earthship.
We had heard of this place for some time so we had to stop by. Check it out at:https://earthship.com
Check out the view from South to North of the Rio Grande Bridge. Although one of the highest bridges in the US, exactly how high the main span is above ground is up in the air. When it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1967, this distance was cited as 650’ over the Rio Grande.
The gorge is deep and narrow, the photos looking North and south.
We came across some feral horses along the road just over the border in Colorado.
After visiting White Sands NP last week, we were excited to see Great Sand Dunes NP.
Photos give some perspective on how far you have to walk to reach the dunes. It was 73 degrees and the surface of the sand was warm. The sand here contains the mineral magnetite, it is black, heavy, and carries its own magnetic charge.
The little dots you see is some photos are people! The dunefield shows different dune types, shaped by wind patterns, topography and the absence of vegetation.
Over thousands of years, melting glaciers filled the valley and lakes with deposits of sand. Then winds pushed the sand up against the base of the mountain. Multiple wind directions caused the dunes to grow to their impressive height and shape.
We hiked up the dunes, which seemed easy but after adding the depth of the sand and elevation of over 7,500, it was a workout!
These cottonwood trees with changing leaves are at the base of the mountain where it meets the dunes were very pretty.
The late afternoon sun hit the dunes just right. We saw lots of the people sledding the dunes, see separate video posted on that.
Heading back to New Mexico, just before the border we found this interesting church, the Shrine of the Stations of the Cross. Constructed in the 1980s and dedicated in 1990, the Spanish-Moorish style adobe church was created by parishioners of the Sangre de Cristo Parish in San Luis, Colorado, crafted as an act of love and good faith.
Views from the church looking down on the town of San Luis, the oldest town in Colorado.
So took in some interesting rock formations in the Carson National forest on the Enchanted Circle Drive.
Back in Taos for the night.