Wednesday January 30 through Wednesday February 6, 2019
Down river from where the Pecos River joins the Rio Grande, Seminole Canyon State Park & Historic Site sits between US-90 and the Rio Grande River. An early human settlement existing 10,000 through some 600 years ago lived within the park boundaries. In the settlement’s later years, the inhabitants made and used simple but durable paints to create pictographs on canyon walls that we can see today.
In general, all pictographs are in areas of the park that are only accessible by guided tours. The three guided tours are Fate Bell Shelter Tour, Upper Canyon Hike and Presa Day Hike.
I have done the Fate Bell Shelter Tour each time I’ve visited the park including this visit. I did the Upper Canyon Hike a few years back and really enjoyed it. In both cases, the views in and around the canyons are amazing. The Presa Day Hike hasn’t been offered when I’ve been in the park.
In following posts, the Fate Bill Shelter Tour and the White Shaman Tour will be covered. White Shaman Tours are offered through the Rock Art Foundation White Shaman Preserve of the Witte Museum in San Antonio. The Witte Museum offers a number of different tours of sites outside the park on private property. The White Shaman site entrance is west on US-90 before the Pecos River bridge.
The weather in early February can be all over the map. Some days highs were above 70 while other days highs were in the 50’s. Some lows can be below freezing but not often. Early on, the days were sunny and clear. Then the humidity rose and we were fogged in for several mornings in a row. We got the drizzle only one day but have seen drizzle for a week straight before. Just depends on the year.
I love the park. While I didn’t walk the trails this year, I have in the past. One trail takes hikers to the Rio Grande River where there is an overlook. While the round trip is 6 miles, the trail has little elevation change. Trails into canyons are typically strenuous and shouldn’t be done solo.
Sunsets in the park are often spectacular to watch.
Hope to see you on the road ahead!
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