The "red rock" name is spread across the American Southwest from Oklahoma to California, and it's simply an immense collection of dramatic desert lands covered in a brick-red layer of sandstone. One of many red rock parks, this one is found at Red Rock State Park near Gallup, New Mexico. The 640 acre park, opened in 1972, includes a nice arrangement of amenities, i.e. a rodeo area, convention center, campgrounds and the Red Rock Museum. Museum exhibits offer a glimpse into the lives of ancient civilizations as well as a look into the Native cultures of today's Hopi, Zuni and Navajo tribes.
    There's no secret about the park name as it is surrounded on three sides by bald, red rock cliffs. This land is made up of sandstone layers which date as far back as the Age of Dinosaurs ... the Jurassic. The distinct red layers of sandstone here are divided into two groups. The Dewey Bridge member of this group covers a thick layer of reddish-brown stone, ranging from 30 to 60 feet thick. The reddish-orange cap layer is a mixture of sandstone and siltstone, adding a layer on top of smooth rock, some 100 to 400 feet in depth. Additional layers of rock jump from grays to pink and white. Pictured here is the Pyramid Peak found near the park, having a faint resemblance of Egypt's great stone tombs.

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