RonnieAdventure #0508 - 2022 Valley of Fire State Park Part I

Picture by Kolohe

It was raining early in the early morning, but the rain clouds were moving out so we decided to hike up to Natural Arch in Valley of Fire State Park. This hike had been on my Bucket List since moving to Nevada.

After paying the entrance fee (My Federal Golden Age Passport does not work at State Parks), we did a short hike to view some petrified trees that were near the Natural Arch trailhead. 

Petrified trees are fairly common in western United States and consist of a wide variety of tree types. The trees at this location are an ancient Pine that grew about 150 million years ago. It is believed that the trees found in the Park actually grew several miles away and were carried downstream by flood waters and then covered with silt, sand, and other sea deposits. Over time the wood was replaced with minerals, forming "stone" trees. 

When we arrive at the trailhead, I could not believe it - there was a sign informing hikers that the NATURAL ARCH HAD COLLAPSED! Bummer! I guess I should not have procrastinated so long to make this hike. 

We met some people from California at the trailhead who were also surprised the arch had collapsed because the hike is still listed on most web sites.  The Californians decided to hike down the wash to Charlie's Spring, so we decided to hike up the wash to where Natural Arch had been. 

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

While we were hiking up the wash, I noticed on my topographical map that there were some old stone cabins not too far up a side canyon, It was early in the day, so we decided to hike over to the cabins.  

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

We had just about reached the cabins when we came to pour-over in the wash that we could not climb. We either had to go back or attempt to climb out of the wash on some really loose rock. Even though it was not the safest thing to do, we climbed the loose rock to reach the canyon rim. 

Once out of the dry wash, the stone cabins were just a short distance in front of us.

The cabins were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (C.C.C.) in 1935 for the purpose of providing shelter for people traveling through the area, but the cabins were abandoned years ago. 

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

From the top, looking down the wash that we had climbed out of to reach the cabins, it was obvious that we had climbed out the hard way. On the other side of the wash there was a much easier way down.

Picture by Kolohe

On our way down the wash we found several veins of a clear mineral that looked like selenite or mica, but when we returned home I read in a book that it was provably gypsum.

Picture by Kolohe

We also found a strange markings on the side of a hill that appeared to be an alien symbol. Without alien help, how could a rock roll UP the hill before rolling down. Time to get back to the main wash!

Once back in the main wash we came to the place where the Arch should have been, but we could not locate the remains of Natural Arch. We did, however, find several other arches and a number of unusual rock formations. Since the Park staff had not named the formations, I decided to help them and gave several formations names.  

Fat Person's Pass

"Eyelet Arch"

Picture by Kolohe

"Elephant Trunk Arch"

Picture by Kolohe

"Scream Rock"

Picture by Kolohe

"Crouching Lion Rock"

"Battleship Rock"

 

Picture by Kolohe

"Lizard Rock"

"Duck Arch"

"Quotation Marks Rock"

"Turtle Head Rock"

"Alien Mother Rock"

"Anteater Arch"

"Slanted Smile Rock"

"Conglomerate Rock" (Wait a minute - I think someone else named that one.)

After exploring the area, we decided to follow our tracks back to the trailhead.

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Arriving back at the trailhead, I noticed that just across the road there was a Memorial for Sergeant John J. Clark.

Clark was a Private in the Civil War and after being shot in the hand and contracting typhoid fever, he was discharged and decided to move to California. On the way he stopped at this spot and tied his horse to the back of a wagon. According to a sign at the Memorial, he ran out of water and crawled under the wagon and died of thirst before anyone found him. 

Since I did not get to see Natural Arch before it collapsed, when I returned home I found the following picture of Natural Arch in an old Valley of Fire hiking guide.

Unknown Photographer

RONNIEADVENTURES GOES INTO OUTER SPACE 

Great News!  NASA has invited RonnieAdventures to ride along on ARTEMIS I as it circles the moon. This will be the first flight of the Orion MPCV. The flight will leave in May 2022 and credit RonnieAdventures with 1,300,000 NASA frequent flyer miles. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures.