February 17-18, 2016
After poking our noses into New Mexico to visit the spectacular Carlsbad Caverns (see previous post), we re-entered Texas to cam at the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The campground, which is really a parking lot, is situated between two mountains, making the views lovely. As with most National park campgrounds, there were no facilities other than flush toilets.
The Guadalupes are among the best examples of a marine fossil reef (yes, a marine reef!)
Approximately 260 million years ago, a tropical ocean covered this part of the world. Over a very long period of time, sponges, algae and other lime-secreting creatures precipitated from the seawater. Along with lime, they built up layers and layers to form the 400-mile long horseshoe-shaped Capitan reef. As the sea subsided, it was buried in a blanket of sediment and mineral salts. The reef lay buried for a long time, until yet another event occurred, that is, a mountain uplift which exposed part of the reef. It is the dramatic bluff in my last photo below.
Sigh ... not on this year's itinerary ... next time.
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