As part of our study of the formation of the universe, the three types of rocks, and volcanoes, we took a trip to Cerrillos Hills. Cerrillos was once a thriving mining town and still has many rocks to prove it! We were met by Park Ranger and Educator, Peter Lipscomb, who gave us a wonderful overview of the types of rocks in the park, and gave us a chance to look closely at the crystals and formation of these rocks. The hills are a field of small cone volcanoes which likely formed over thousands of years. It was interesting to learn a little more about Cerrillos and the hills surrounding it.
The kids navigated our hiking route with maps in hand, and led us to 4-5 different mines, each a different depth, and telling a different part of the story of these fascinating hills. We found a snake skin and lots of rocks and cactus as we hiked and enjoyed the views on this beautiful, sunny day.
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- Owen and Cole examining rocks
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- Zander looking closely
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- Peter Lipscomb, Park Educator shares his rock collection
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- Mine #1
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- Cole finds a snakeskin!
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- Hikers!