What's Happening at Hawkins Preserve
Dear Friends of Hawkins,
An unannounced light show was in progress in the Preserve at 8:30 A.M. this morning. It was worth attending. This darksome scene featuring the Mesa Verde escarpment could have been rendered by the old Dutch Masters using their dominant darks to reveal the play of light on the landscape. Within 20 minutes, however, these dramatic clouds shifted to reveal an atmosphere seldom seen today: blue skies of a rare, clear intensity - - - typical of our skies in the early 1960’s before the coal plants were built across the Colorado Plateau.
change of palette (above) - - - view from Point Trail (below)
Another show in the Preserve is provided by the slick rock. Although the exposed stone is entirely composed of easily erodible Dakota Sandstone, it exhibits a playful variety of textures and forms. Some of the surfaces erode much more slowly than others. Notice this miniature “butte” standing above the surrounding rock. It maintains its elevated form because of a protective dark surface. Is its surface a kind of lichen or is it a desert varnish-like substance? We are not sure. However, there are many examples of this throughout the Preserve.
Most of the slickrock in the Preserve is light tan or grey in color. Therefore, it is a surprise to find circles, swirls and patterns of other colors in a few locations. Notice this surface near the east climbing access.
Recent rains have helped our fall blooming plants to flower. We found this purple beauty showing off its blooms right beside Mesa View Trail near the great bowl.
We’d like to recognize all of you for your consistent efforts to watch and protect our Preserve. Special thanks go to Dale Diede for firmly re-erecting the Patrick’s Point sign and for beginning to secure the plant posts along the nature trail section of Prickly Pear Path with new concrete bases. Also, we very much appreciate Jim for filling the potholes in our driveway entrance and for starting the process of flattening the “wheelie” ruts in the parking lot. Also, thank you, Linda, for spending efforts and hours far beyond your compensated time to make sure everything works well in the Preserve.
Have you noticed the city is finishing the paving of Mesa View Trail to reach the parking lot at Mesa Elementary School? We still hear rumors that there might be a fifth piece of the Art Along the Trail. Does anyone know? Once we’re sure we have all the art works accounted for, Roberta and I would like to help plan an event to honor the artists who put their hearts into this project. Let’s be thinking about how we might do this..
Best wishes to all of you,
Shelby and Roberta Smith
Dear Friends of Hawkins,
Most people tend to ignore what’s under their feet. Our lawns, garden soil, pavement, and asphalt are just what we walk across or drive on. However, in the great Southwest people more often notice and are curious about what’s “down there”. The steep grades of our streams continually erode away and expose our colorful soils and rock strata. Erosion, volcanic activity, and fault block uplifting are the chief exposers of the various layers of soil and rock in our landscape.
At Hawkins the most attention-getting surface is the slick rock which covers at least one quarter of the surface in the Preserve. Our slick rock, made up of Dakota Sandstone, has an intriguing surface with flowing, undulating patterns, pot holes and water channels. Its origin is equally intriguing. Geologists tell us that the Dakota Sandstone was laid down in the early Cretaceous period and that this rock layer was often covered by ancient shallow seas. A quote from www.geocities.com/earthhistory/grand calls the Dakota formation “a shoreline facies of the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway.” In some areas of Colorado the Dakota Formation has proved to be “a track rich zone” for both Iguanodon-like creatures and carnivorous dinosaurs. To date no one has found dinosaur tracks at Hawkins, but wouldn’t it be a momentous event if we did?
Let’s keep looking.
The pueblo site is getting better and better. Some wonderful person has put out three items at the kiosk: a map of the covered room complex, information about the village site and instructions regarding how to use, but not misuse the Preserve. Thank you very much.
On our visit Roberta and I traveled Mesa View Trail to Ruins Road. We checked the pueblo area and went down Point Trail to Patrick’s Point, then across the Rim Route and back out Slick rock Trail. The signs appear to be in place and the great bowl in good shape. We encountered one hiker and found lots of praise about the Preserve on the sign-in page.
Best regards,
Shelby and Roberta Smith
Dear Friends of Hawkins,
On Tuesday Roberta and I delayed our walk until the early evening rain had stopped. Even a small shower works its magic in Hawkins, bringing out rich and earthy perfumes from the hot rocks and the resinous trees. The late evening sun was dropping slowly below the clouds, sending its long rays onto the greenery and the slickrock and tinting the bluffs of Mesa Verde with a rosy glow. We sat for a while taking in the show.
We examined the great bowl and found it unmarked and unmolested. The signs sat sturdily in their places, including the one announcing “Nature Trail” at the entrance to Prickly Pear Path (thanks to Rae and her husband who re-installed it. Thank you very much!!)
The recent work at the pueblo looks great (the boundary ropes and the rocks lining the paths). Thanks to all of you who worked on that.
Our walk included Mesa View Trail & Ruins Road -- (with a stop at the Pueblo). -- Fox Trot Run to the west fence -- Jackrabbit Lane to the rim – Rim Route to Patrick’s Point & on to the junction with Slickrock Trail – Slickrock Trail to the Parking area. We encountered three people: one was jogging; the other two walking their dogs. Both of them attached leashes as soon as they saw us.
A wetter than usual year has been good for the lichens and the mosses such as these along Fox Trot Run.
Here is a final view from the Preserve on Tuesday evening.
Best wishes to all,
Shelby and Roberta
Dear Friends of Hawkins,
Do we have a landscape? Oh, what do you think? Such a place to come home to after being away for 10 days. About 7:30 P.M.we trotted down Slickrock & Rim Route to the drop off. As we approached the edge, I thought I heard voices off over the edge to the left of the staircase. I went down and entered the large alcove and listened, but heard no more. So they must have exited to the east on hearing us, or it all may have been my imagination. Next we crossed Rim Route to Point Trail where we sat on the Patrick’s Point bench for a while enjoying the evening coolness. After a good rest we ascended Point Trail and Ruins Road to visit the Pueblo. How wonderful what Dale Davidson and others have accomplished at the site. Then we went up Ruins Road and Prickly Pear back to the entrance.
As dry as it has been, most of the plants are taking a break from the blooming cycle. There is a bit of Paintbrush, such as this fellow
We were glad to see that so far “Atilla and his Huns” have not revisited the “Climbing by Permit Only” sign and that the great bowl has no graffiti
We encountered one jogger named Steve or Scott Ortman (nice fellow) who lives at 1006 Cedar. We visited with him for a minute, told him what we were doing there. He jogs there twice a week and said he would call me if he sees anything out of line.
Jim and whoever else locks the gate at night – thank you very much. We know it is a thankless and at times aggravating task. But never doubt that it is making a positive difference. One by one our late visitors are learning that the closed at dusk sign means something. And more than that -- slowly our whole community of Hawkins visitors are learning that someone is in charge – and with police back-up when necessary.
See you at the Friends of Hawkins meeting next week,
Shelby and Roberta
Dear Friends of Hawkins,
About 7:30 this morning we walked down the Slickrock Trail to the rim. The veteran -- much vandalized – much maligned “Access by Permit” sign at the top of the stairway leading down to the climbing areas was torn from the post. The culprits then threw it down the slope a ways. We brought it home and will attempt to flatten it out and attach it once more to the post.
We then proceeded along the Rim Route to Patrick’s Point and over to Jackrabbit Lane, up the Lane to the Pueblo, along Ruins Road to Prickly Pear Path and to the parking lot. Except for the vandalism done to the climbing sign, everything else looked good. We saw only one other person, a fellow with his dog.
Along side Prickly Pear Path we enjoyed this web design, but could not spot the designer.
Desert Four O’Clocks like this one were about the only blossoms we spotted this morning.
With more abundant rain this spring the Banana Yuccas are producing more fruit this summer. When I worked for the tribe at Ignacio, some of the Southern Ute elders told me that if these fruits are picked at the right time and then boiled, they taste very much like a banana, sweet and wonderful.
Three-leaf sumac berries are sticky textured and as tart as lemon juice, thus rightfully called lemonadeberry. If you find some of these shrubs (off the Hawkins land) you can gather, wash, crush, strain the juice through a cloth, add water and sugar and enjoy -- a little astringent, but tasty.
What a privilege to visit this site each week,
Shelby and Roberta
