Pay attention! and other El Morro National Monument, NM Warning Or Danger Tips

One wonderful aspect of the Mesa Top trail is the trail itself! Traversing the limestone mesa top, there is no paving or other usual trail markings. Though parts of the path have been carved more deeply into the limestone, most of the path is not easily seen. The trail is designated by shallow lines carved into the mesa's surface ... and by cairn's along the route. I had to pay attention to these features as I walked to prevent loosing the pathway completely! I'm not used to having to stop and actually think when walking about the area parks, so this came as a surprise to me.

Limestone is slick when wet ... moreso when icey. This particular trail can be closed due to weather conditions that may not be apparent from the lower trail system.

Between the surface itself, and the unusual trail markings, this trail is interesting, fun, but also requires caution. So be alert, aware, and you will enjoy this amazing walk through nature and history.

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Website: http://www.nps.gov/elmo/index.htm

Though most of us think of rocks as fairly permanent parts of our environment ..... like other living things they change over time. Water erodes the surface and changes the shape. Movements from within mother earth change the location of one object in relation to another. Heat and cold cause contraction and expansion. It seems each of these factors, and others, have contributed to a significant change in the El Morro mesa.

A large section of the mesa has separated due to cracking. This crack is quite noticeable as you wander Inscription Trail. As I got closer to the area that caught my eye, I noticed metal bits and wires ... I was fascinated. As I rounded the far side of this section, after taking time to read the writings on the wall, I noticed a toolbox attached to a tree w/ cables running toward the opposite side of the cracked cliff face - seemed to be going through the crack.

I checked w/ a ranger and I was correct in my initial assumption - the park is monitoring this crack's movement... for when this section decides to let go, it will decimate Inscription Rock AND cause other significant changes to the area. Current movements are quite minor, and this section has been under close observation for about 30 years .... but mother earth will decide to redecorate this area one day in the future.

I'm not trying to be chicken little .... the sky is NOT falling~ yet. But a general warning to remember that nothing is permanent. Be cautious when crawling about the rocks, for even rocks move when they 'feel' like it :)

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Though it may seem silly or overly controlling, there are good reasons for the signs asking visitors to remain on established paths ... simply walking through the region can cause significant damage ... seems wierd until you learn about the soil .....

Regardless of the color .. desert soil is unique. Cryptobiotic soil is a living entity unto itself. Microscopic organisms live in symbiosis to create an irregular surfaced crust. This crust helps prevent water loss, absorbs rainfall more completely and prevents erosion. The nitrogen produced by this biological soil also provided nutrients for nearby plant species. In some regions of the desert up to 70% of the surface area can be dedicated biological crusts. These special crusts can be smooth surfaced or rough - depending on the region, rainfall, and organisms in the mixture.

These crusts are very slow growing, it can take up to 250 years to recover from a single foot print. As Trekki states on her page: "They grow approximately 1 mm/year, which means that one step onto the crust will destroy some 50-100 years of growth."

Loss of biological crust integrity can speed soil loss by 600% and decrease nitrogen fixation by 80% ... both can impact other living species in the area of the disturbance.

For more about desert biology and geography, check out the link below ... and Trekki's pages on Arches Nat'l Monument.

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Website: http://www.soilcrust.org/index.htm