Advertisement
Published: February 6th 2009
Bottomless Lakes State Park
I had to get out an explore this awesome region. I started out in the ecosystem where the Chihuahuan Desert kisses the grasslands at the Bottomless Lakes State Park. It's a great geological area. It is a chain of eight sinkhole lakes ranging from 17-90 feet deep. They were formed when the circulating ground water from the Capitan Mountain range adds into the artesian wells below the surface dissolving the salt and gypsum deposits forming subterranean caverns. With time the cavern extends and the roof collapses and the artesian well fills the sinkhole and whooola holy moly theres a lake!!
This area is beautiful with the Capitan and Sierra Blanca Mountains across the plain to the West and a huge ridgeline to the East. The ridge line is a swirl of hues - terra cotta, brick scarlet red, tan, and sage green. It reminds me of a pixel-ated view of my sofa from the early 90's. The landscape is speckled with salt grass, mesquite shrubs and tamarisk. The area is filled with sparkling 2 sided quarts known as the Pecos diamonds that are exposed in as the gypsum crumbles aways from the exposure to the
Lagoon Lake with Mt. Capitan
This is the first "lake" with Mount Capitan across the plain. Note the salt that is left on the top layer as the water evaporates. elements.
The high deserts of this region are about 3500-4000ft above sea level and have very drastic seasons. We are definitely in winter at the brisk ambient air temperature of 70's!! It is a blessing to be hiking in shorts and t-shirts in February. The locals were out fishing in their parka's as I was putting miles on my hiking shoes with the lizards and snakes!!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.076s; Tpl: 0.009s; cc: 9; qc: 49; dbt: 0.0406s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
