A driving and hiking tour of Red Rock Ranch with our knowledgeable guide, Darice McVay made on February, 2010. The place is not only scenic but also geologically important because of the presence of Precambrian rocks that were uplifted and exposed millions of years ago. During the drive, our guide explained the history of the ranch and pointed out the names of the mountains along the route. There are also names to some interesting rock formations. During the hike, our guide identified some of the desert plants and their characteristics and enumerated some of the animals and birds and even insects that could be found in the ranch. There were evidences of past habitations by the Mescalero Apaches with arrowheads found on the land and the existence of metates (grinding holes on rocks) used by the Indians to prepare their food. Pictographs were also shown depicting different animals. The ranch was also the site of a movie, "Blue Sky" which starred Jessica Lange, and a Larry McMurtry miniseries, "Dead Man's Walk". The weathered remnants of a movie set still exist and were accessed during the tour. Shelley and Ken, a couple of tourists from Wisconsin are shown with our guide bounding and standing on the Precambrian rocks. If you are interested in geology or want to get a feel for the southwest, this is a tour for you. Song credit: "Desperado" by the Eagles.
