It began with a trickle of water and then a gushing river that wound its way through sandstone mounds. Forming a rim were gray and tan limestone crags, onlookers as the pit of red began to morph with time. From the age of the Jurassic till several million years later, the sea water that once was subsided and the sandstone beds erupted forth to form mountains on this raised land. On these Aztec outcrops, creosote bushes took root with their buttercup yellow blooms against the dusty backdrop. Marigolds and Indigo formed splotches of bright color in spring and the people followed soon after. The basket-makers were the first from 2500 years ago, leaving their mark through glyphs cut out onto rock followed by the early Pueblo and the Anasazi.

Fast forward to today and the rivers that once coursed through have dried up to leave dried river beds taken over by tarmac roads instead. Branching out from the main road are natural rock formations resembling elephants and mice or a barreling ocean of red soil threatening to engulf you. Rocks glimmering pastel as though the colors of the rainbow have been imprinted upon them and more have grown into the monument over the years. This is how you walk through a million years and more when crossing the Valley of Fire State Park.