Verde River

We got a late start today thus stayed in the local area - near the Verde River.

Mexican Gold Poppies

Manzanita

700 years ago beaver dams spanned the river and the water was 20 feet higher than now.  The Sinagua people lived along the river and hunted, gathered and farmed here in Beasley Flat.

All that remains are the lodges that can be seen across the river.  There were single rooms and series of rooms for living and storage.

Lodges like these, dug as shallow caves or shelters, with masonry walls at there entrances, are found nowhere else. 

When we returned to our campground we found the cottonwood trees had been losing their fluffy seeds. It appeared to be snowing.

Vic said it looked like a washing machine had overflowed - a great analogy!

The owners of our RV park hired a master carver to demonstrate and give a workshop a few years ago.  A contingent of men who are winter campers joined together to carve this.  It's about 7' high.  They sure learned the lessons well.