Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Alibates Flint Quarries and Lake Meredith

I woke up this morning finally feeling recovered from my gluttony at the Big Texas Steak Ranch last night. I headed north out of town and headed for Lake Meredith National Recreation Area and Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument. I had a reservation for a tour at Alibates at 10 am, but I wanted to see what the NRA had to offer so I headed towards a spot I found on my map and guide called Mullinaw Creek. 
Lake Meredith NRA Landscape

There was a hiking trail at Mullinaw Creek, but it petered out soon after it started. I hiked in a dry creek bed there for a while before turning around to get to my tour. 


On my trip to the Alibates Contact Station I passed by the interesting McBride ranch house which had been built back in 1903.
McBride Ranch House

The Alibates site itself was excellent. I had my own personal tour and my guide was a volunteer who was knowledgeable and passionate about the quarry. The Alibates flint is a very colorful rock that was quarried and traded across the present United States for material for making weapons and tools.

Flint Tool

Flint Quarry

Alibates Flint

Alibates Colors

While it was a hot hike to and from the quarry, I was glad that I had gone. The panhandle of Texas is a sparsely beautiful area with red soils and desert-like plant and animal species.
Hiking Out of the Quarry

Quartz Crystals

After my tour I checked out the contact station before heading south. I passed through Amarillo and was soon on my way to Lubbock. I stopped in Lubbock for lunch at Chipotle and then was back on the road. Before I knew it I had made it into New Mexico, my new home state. I passed through the depressing city of Hobbs and then found myself in my new hometown of Carlsbad.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for the best picture of the Alibates "Flint" pits I've found. We got there too late for a tour, and didn't get to see how the agate naturally occurs beneath the dolomite.

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