Los Angeles County
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Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park Los Angeles County |
October 18, 2015
Gary and I are en route from Gary's home in Woodland Hills to do some hiking in southern Nevada and Utah. Right beside the road is a local attraction that has served as a setting for many movies and television series.
A park worker shows us the way to the main trail
The interpretive visitor center here is as nicely done as some of its
national-park equivalents — and there is no fee!
This location is not quite as remote as I had envisioned; in fact, it is
right beside a major highway and there are numerous residences nearby.
The principal attractions are over there
Juniper bushes abound
This park's name was derived from Tiburcio Vásquez, one of California'a most notorious bandits. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
Pictographs near the Visitor Center
These sedimentary rocks, named the Mint Canyon Formation. were laid
down 8-15 million years ago. Many animal fossils have been
found in the upper layers.
It almost looks like a crouched figure up there in the middle
The weekend horde of children has not yet arrived. When the kids do show up, they will be scrambling all over these rocks.
Mini-arches are fun to find
Captain Kirk fought a Gorn right here in the Star Trek episode, Arena:
This now is known as Kirk's Rock
In the first of the video clippings below, note the impossible boulder perched atop the lower ledge of the formation:
"I don't think bamboo will get the job done".
"I'll roll this two-ton rock down on him instead".
"Oops! That didn't work out. Time for Plan B".
Luckily for us all, Captain Kirk did manage to utilize minerals provided
by his captors to defeat the Gorn and hang around our television sets for
another twenty-seven years.
That's Gary, not a Gorn
Hikers do like high places
A last look
§: This was a pleasant diversion on a route that is otherwise
devoid of interest, and we did well to beat the weekend crowd.
Had there not still been more than 300 miles to cover, we would have
investigated the park more thoroughly.
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