Chiricahua National Monument

The Chiricahua National Monument is a standing under the administration of the National Park Service National Monument in the U.S. state of Arizona, which protects an area with bizarre rock sculptures. It is located about 160 km east of Tucson at the junction of Chihuahua to the Sonoran Desert and near the Mexican and New Mexican border.

Formation

The unusual rock formations of Chiricahua National Monuments result of a series of massive volcanic eruptions on today's Turkey Creek, which occurred approximately 27 million years ago and the surrounding countryside plated with a more than 600 meters high ash and sand layer. After the pyroclastic material compacted to solid tufa, the dark rock was lifted over millions of years by plate tectonics, moved and broken again and again.

Winds and water washed as long as the softer rock from the firmer out, were left to only countless towering rock formations. Partially formed in this way so unusual rock formations that they assumed the external shape of objects or living beings or represent certain situations. They include, for example, the " duck on a rock " (Duck on a Rock ), the " Camel Rock" ( Camel Rock ), the " kissing rock " ( Kissing Rocks ) and the numerous " balancing " rocks ( Balanced Rocks ).

National Monument

And situated in the homonymous mountain Chiricahua National Monument was established in 1924 and covers an area of around 50 square kilometers. The Bonita Canyon Drive, home to a small campground is located, connects the visitor center with the Massai Point, begin at the various hiking trails - including those on Heart of Rocks (heart of the rocks ) with the most spectacular rock formations and the more varied Echo Canyon Loop Trail (Circular). In sum, the visitors are open to a 30 km rail network through rock sculptures and canyons.