Homolovi Ruins State Park, Winslow AZ

I-40 near Winslow AZ

We have moved on to the Homolovi State Park near Winslow AZ. This is a small park that houses the ruins of the early Hopi tribes. The campground has a only a few rigs in it now but this weekend they are expecting a large group that is part of a trail ride from St.George, Utah to Winslow.  However it is Saturday morning and no sign of this huge group they talked about. 

Our site

Thursday we took a hike to the Homolovi I site, not much to see but some info on the Hopi communities that existed here almost 800 to 900 years ago. The clans moved on to the Hopi Mesas due to frequent flooding in the area. Originally we were just going for a walk around the campground but when we saw the sign to the ruins just 1 mile away on a park road we made the hike. It was ok but it got us out walking so that was good. Friday we biked to the visitors center and asked about hiking trails. They didn’t have a hiking map so the ranger tried to draw them in on the park map. What we found is this is more of a driving park, there are a few trails and they are poorly marked (the one from the campground to the visitors center may be the exception). We did a loop trail and one that led to an overlook, all the time not sure we were on the right path. Then we went to where we thought he marked the trail to the campground but it was actually the to the Sunset Cemetery. It looked bikable (the camp host told us the trail to the campground was bikeable--not!) so we road quite aways and then it got sandy so we walked the bikes. The cemetery is fun to see, I like the little cemeteries that tell a story of a time long past. Now we have already started to doubt that this is the path to the campground but decided to keep going. After about another mile or so we came to a road closed sign that was a locked gate?! Oops. I was going to check my phone GPS but at the gate I looked up and could see the shelter for the Homolovi I site we were at the day before. Now just to get passed the gate. We were able to climb through and John handed the bikes over the top to me. It was a much better solution than going back the way we came. Shortly we were on the road and able to bike the mile back to the campground.  That was definitely an adventure.

Visitors Center

Today we started at the campground where we found the trail head for the trail to the visitor center. The trail is marked better than the others and it is listed as 1.2 miles and we found out where we were suppose to start yesterday. It is just a flat desert trail and is very sandy, there is no way our bikes would make this and I am not sure even a mountain bike would have it easy, just too much soft sand. Just know that this park has limited hiking. There is some interesting history but not much else. It has been a good place to just kick back but I doubt we will return

Sunset cemetary

Sunset Cemetery

We went into Winslow but weren’t in the mood for stoping at the couple tourist spots they have. Do you ever get that way, when those area just don’t trip your trigger? So we did see the store at the corner of Winslow AZ (remember it from the Eagles “Take it Easy”), also drove by the La Posada hotel. The only thing we did do was go to Walmart. We had a few items to restock before we head to the Grand Canyon.

John witha view of the visitors center and the montains

I am so looking forward to the next couple of weeks. The Grand Canyon has been number one on my list this season and we are finally going to get there. After much debate and some reading we decided that after the Grand Canyon we will head to Cottonwood AZ and Dead Horse Ranch State Park. I even made a reservation. This will be a great spot to go off and discover Cottonwood, Sedona and Prescott. I’ve had this park on the radar for awhile as I have read several excellent reviews for it. So we are looking forward to two beautiful areas with lots of great hiking and natural beauty. :)

In this down time one of the things I had been doing is finishing up a cross stitch project. Thought I’d share that with you. This is my hobby other than reading.  I find it relaxing and fun to see it come together. I did my future daughter-in-law Melissa’s Christmas stocking last year and some ornaments for the new kids in the family. This year I decided to make a couple projects for myself.  This project and the new project I‘ve just begun are destined to become pillows. I have a thing for snowmen, so they will go well with my other Christmas Decorations.

One last thing, Ray/Wendy asked if we had considered a dual rear wheel pickup. Well the photos might make it look like a single rear wheel but it is definitely a DRW pickup. My husband’s pride and joy, complete with a Banks exhaust system and a brand new high performance ATS transmission. It is amazing what I know about trucks now that it is our only vehicle.

Happy Trails........................