NPS Alibates Flint Quarries NM Website; NPS Lake Meredith NRA Website
WHAT IS IT?The Alibates Flint Quarries NM, pronounced al-ee-BATES, showcases evidence of 12,000 years of human life and includes some of America’s most ornate and, historically, most prized flint stones. The surrounding 12-mile long Lake Meredith NRA is a man-made lake formed by the damming of the Canadian River.
BEAUTY (4/10)
This is stark, difficult country. Mesquite, rattlesnakes, sagebrush and grasslands coat the earth. Hills of exposed red rock support expanses of exposed white dolomite. Among the dolomite are shallow pits. Flakes of flint tailings are scattered in these places indicate where the mining occurred.
Flint chunks of all shapes and sizes remain. Their beauty comes from their coloration. The streaks of maroons, reds, browns and purples create delicate patterns and are responsible for the rocks’ once great value.
HISTORICAL INTEREST (4/10)
People have mined the Alibates Flint Quarries since the beginning of human habitation of North America. From 12,000 BC to 6,000 BC nomadic tribes gathered the flint for their spear points. The Alibates flint’s only distinction was its great beauty: its rainbow streaks, vivid purples and jewel-like appearance. Who knew that prehistoric man were such aesthetes?
The earliest evidence of North American human life, the Clovis Culture spear point, was made from Alibates Flint Quarries.
Year-round life did not appear at the Quarries until 1,000 AD. At that time a tribe settled on the land with the primary purpose of mining. The flint was still in high demand and increased North American trade made its year round mining a viable way of life. Alibates flint would soon appear throughout the continent.
These sedentary Indians were driven out in 1450 by raiding Apaches who were subsequently ousted by Spanish invaders, the U.S. Army and ultimately by a homesteading pioneer named Allie Bates.
While there is little modern-day demand for flint, mining of a different sort still occurs on Site. The port-o-potties and paved asphalt squares are not for tourists, they are for private natural gas mining companies. Previous owners were happy to sell the land to the National Park Service, but held fast to the mining rights.
CROWDS (6/10)We were it and thoroughly enjoyed our private guided tour of the Flint Quarries. We felt like VIP’s as we baked in the hazy, north Texas morning.
Park documentation reveals that the Quarries are one of our least visited National Park Units; only 2,000 people visited the Site last year. Its neighbor, Lake Meredith NRA consistently sees over 1,000,000 people every year. Most people are more interested in water recreation than in viewing colorful rocks.
EASE OF USE/ACCESS (2/5)
The Alibates Flint Quarries are located about 40 miles northeast of Amarillo, almost smack dab in the middle of the Texas Panhandle. From Amarillo, take Texas Route 136 until you see a sign for the Quarries. Turn left and follow the road for about two miles. By this point, the path is loose gravel. At the Y-intersection, veer to the right. The Contact Station should be on your right in about a mile and a half.
Lake Meredith NRA can be accessed via a number of spur roads from Route 136. The gravel road to the Quarries is, in fact, one of those access roads. The Lake Meredith Marina and Ranger Station are further up Route 136, near the town of Fritch.
CONCESSIONS/BOOKSTORE (3/5)
There are not many books for sale at the Alibates Ranger Station, but most are Site specific and probably found at few other places. A few videos and books examine flint knapping, using flint to make tools, which we are guessing is a lost art. Four Kinko’s-bound books about area geology look more like University-class submissions than things found in a bookstore. Good luck finding those titles at amazon.com.
COSTS (5/5)
Entrance to both Parks is free. Rangers at the Alibates Flint Quarries NM give two free guided tours every day. Launching fees at Lake Meredith NRA run $4 per boat.
RANGER/GUIDE TO TOURIST RATIO (4/5)
Two of us, one Ranger. The Park literature stresses that you arrange the guided tour well before you visit the Quarries. Gab called them at (806) 857-3151 a week in advance. “Is there space on Sunday for a tour of al-uh-BAH-tays?” “Where?” “The flint quarries?” “Oh, you mean al-ee-BATES. Sure. When? 10 or 2?”
As it turned out, we moved through Colorado quicker than expected. On Tuesday, we asked if we could reschedule the tour for Thursday. No problemo. If you are eager enough to visit the quarries, we think the Site’s great Rangers will find a way to show you around.
TOURS/CLASSES (7/10)
The Flint Quarries must be toured with a Ranger. Gates and, presumably, security cameras keep out the riff raff. Are they protecting the beautiful flint or the natural gas company’s interests? Hard to say.
We had a terrific time on our two-hour private tour. After a brief introduction at the Ranger Station, we hopped into the NPS pick-up truck and made our way to the quarry. Once we got there, the Ranger weaved us through the Quarry’s 12,000-year history, stopping often underneath well-placed wooden shade pavilions. We peppered him with questions as we walked single file up the narrow trail. Thousands of grasshoppers crossed our paths while he pointed out the scattered pieces of flint he found the most beautiful.
FUN (7/10)
The best part of the tour came after it was over. At the Ranger station, Michael noticed an atlatl, a javelin-like spear once used by the Native Americans to hunt. ”Do you know how to use it,” Michael asked the Ranger. “Yeah, you want to see?” “Uh, yeah,” Michael added trying to hide his excitement. So we went outside. The Ranger was good. The atlatl traveled true and straight.
“You want to try?” he asked Gab. “Oh my gosh, yes,” was her subdued response. Gab’s first throw was wobbly, but the second was terrific. Michael’s attempts were not so good. His form was perfect for long-distance javelin throwing but horrible for atlatl flinging. We left giddy and with an understanding of how the atlatl actually worked. Seriously. We had seen tons of pictures of the weapon, at Russell Cave NM, Poverty Point and others, and did not fully understand it until Alibates. And we had a great time too.
WOULD WE RECOMMEND? (3/10)Quarries of any kind, even flint, fail to spark to tourist’s imagination and wanderlust. Alibates is no exception. As beautiful as the rocks may be, they are no reason to travel to the Texas panhandle. Lake Meredith NRA is very popular but your local dam-created lake probably serves the same purpose. Unless you live near Amarillo, there’s no pressing need to haul your boat to Lake Meredith.
Despite the urgings of countless people, we did not travel south of Amarillo to the rugged canyons of Palo Duro State Park. We just did not have the time. We did see the pictures and it looks beautiful. If you are traveling along Interstate 40 through Amarillo, the Palo Duro SP might be a more worthwhile detour than the National Park Sites to the north.
TOTAL 45/80
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