Grinding holes
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These holes in a rock outcropping are near an old abandoned corral, so at first I thought they might have been drilled to serve as anchors for posts or other ranch use. I came across them while hiking in Alamo Canyon in the northeast portion of Organ Pipe National Monument in southern Arizona. After returning to our boondocking site near the community of Why, I called the visitor center at the monument to inquire about the holes. A ranger told me they have no connection to the corral and predate it by hundreds of years.
They're grinding holes, created by prehistoric Native Americans as they ground acorns, seeds or grain with rock tools called manos and pestles. Grinding holes are fairly common in the Southwest, the ranger said. These, numbering around a dozen, were probably made by O'Odham or Hohokam Indians.
While my wife and I sat on the outcropping and had lunch, we imagined a group of women (who usually did food-preparation chores in Native American cultures) chatting and laughing as they worked.
To find the site, take the Alamo Canyon Road, between mile 65 and 66 on
Highway 85, and drive about four miles to the end. The road is unmarked and unpaved but well-maintained. From the parking lot, hike the 1.3-mile trail to the corral and look for the grinding holes on the rocks by the adjacent wash.
The National Park Service forbids RV camping along the road, but you can make an easy day trip from campgrounds in Why or the one in the monument. The scenery alone in the Alamo Canyon area is worth a visit, thanks to the Sonoran Desert and rugged Ajo Mountains.
These holes in a rock outcropping are near an old abandoned corral, so at first I thought they might have been drilled to serve as anchors for posts or other ranch use. I came across them while hiking in Alamo Canyon in the northeast portion of Organ Pipe National Monument in southern Arizona. After returning to our boondocking site near the community of Why, I called the visitor center at the monument to inquire about the holes. A ranger told me they have no connection to the corral and predate it by hundreds of years.
They're grinding holes, created by prehistoric Native Americans as they ground acorns, seeds or grain with rock tools called manos and pestles. Grinding holes are fairly common in the Southwest, the ranger said. These, numbering around a dozen, were probably made by O'Odham or Hohokam Indians.
While my wife and I sat on the outcropping and had lunch, we imagined a group of women (who usually did food-preparation chores in Native American cultures) chatting and laughing as they worked.
To find the site, take the Alamo Canyon Road, between mile 65 and 66 on
Highway 85, and drive about four miles to the end. The road is unmarked and unpaved but well-maintained. From the parking lot, hike the 1.3-mile trail to the corral and look for the grinding holes on the rocks by the adjacent wash.The National Park Service forbids RV camping along the road, but you can make an easy day trip from campgrounds in Why or the one in the monument. The scenery alone in the Alamo Canyon area is worth a visit, thanks to the Sonoran Desert and rugged Ajo Mountains.
1 Comments:
Thanks for the great story. We are currently volunteering at Organ Pipe National Monument. It surely is a beautiful place to come to. If you like hiking, this is the place!
By Anonymous, at January 7, 2007 6:47 AM
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