Ryan AwWe left Denver for Salida, our base for the next few days while we endeavoured to explore the Great Sand Dunes NP
But first, we stopped by the Garden of the Gods, hiking through these strange rock formations
#colorado #publiclands #photography
Originally known as Ho3o’uu Niitko’usi’i in the Arapaho language.
To the Ute people, this is a sacred land, believing the formations to be ancestral beings “frozen” into the rocks, or even the origin of their existence
#indigenous #nativeland
These strange rocks formed over a span of 300 million years
Then, about 70 million years ago, a massive shift in tectonic plates caused these sharp, angular bits of red and pink sandstone to rise from beneath the surface
National Parks may be open during this govt shutdown, but I’d advise against visiting
They lack the federal funding and workforce to keep the parks clean and safe.
But - state, city, & other locally funded parks like the Garden of the Gods are equally stunning and worth visiting
#publiclands