Monument Rock

(nr Pie Town NM)
Hiked out to see Monument Rock which reaches 8,541ft elevation. Round trip from camp was about 5 miles. It was the longest trek I’ve done in quite some time. And, my knees were complaining.

During a prior visit there, I remained a goodly distance away from that rock pillar. But, this time I went up to near the base and walked about 2/3rd around it. Many more photos were taken at various viewpoints.

Getting closer with a more skewed angle showed the rock’s massive quality. The texture could also be seen better. And, the varied shapes of the formation appeared from different spots.

Below the pillar were numerous rock slides, dense vegetation of mostly piñon and juniper trees; and some downed dead trees. Also, a couple of drainage ditches. All provided added interest to the scene.

After seeing the monument near and far, a track was taken to return to camp through the forest. The idea was to lessen the distance back. A deer trail was followed most of the way, which involved a lot of ups and downs.

Camp: Cibola NF-Criswell Rd boondock
Scene: Rock formation, mountains, trees