When we first visited the Aztec Visitor Center, we learned about the 300+ arches located in and around the town of Aztec in northwest NM. I picked up a brochure and as our time here is drawing to a close, we decided to do some exploring.
GPS coordinates are provided on the brochure and you will need them to find these arches. But part of the fun of this activity is looking for them.
Our first find was Arch Rock. It is only a short walk and can be seen from the (dirt) road in Arch Canyon. Impressive!
There are plenty of interesting rock formations in every direction.
Hiking was required for a view of Cox Canyon, considered the most spectacular arch in the Aztec area. With a vertical rise of 125’ it can be seen in the distance.
And we thought the gray rock looked like the head of a dog with his mouth open…do you see it? To see the arch, the trail included this rock with hand and footholds to assist in the climb. Our girl, Sadie, needed a push to reach the top. And, she had to jump into John’s arms to get down. She enjoys an adventure as much as we do!
I zoomed in for a close up, but we did not hike to it (very rocky!)
Returning to the car, we saw this tire swing. I convinced John to go first, but it looked like so much fun that I took a ride, too. Ahhh, sweet childhood memories!
The following day we went to Pilares Canyon where 21 arches have been found. First, we searched for Peephole. Reportedly visible from the road, it took us some time to find it! While looking we saw these interesting rock formations and a window.
And then we spotted it...Peephole!
Continuing to explore, here are just a few of the crazy swirls, windows, and caves we saw in Pilares Canyon.
Petroglyph Rock has several windows and, the best part, petroglyphs (as you would expect!)
It was awesome! So now we have shared with you only 4 of the 300+ sites in this area. It was a lot of fun to just explore this beautiful part of New Mexico. For additional information about the 20+ canyons and many more arches, go to www.AztecNM.com/Arches/.
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