419 E Broadway, PO Box 1460, Fritch, TX 79036
Phone: 806-857-3151
Fax: 806-857-2319
Open All Year
Overview. Located near the Lake Meredith National Recreation Area north of Amarillo, these quarries were mined by Native Americans for 12,000 years. Specimens of Alibates flint have surfaced hundreds of miles away, suggesting it was valuable enough to trade. Native Americans prized Alibates flint for its hardness, and today collectors admire the flint's colorful beauty. This monument preserves approximately 700 pits and some Native American ruins as well as petroglyphs.What to see and do. Sign up for a guided tour at the recreation area's Bates Canyon Information Station. You have only two chances per day for a tour because they're offered at 10 AM and 2 PM between Memorial Day and Labor Day. During the off-season, call ahead to make an appointment. Wear sturdy clothes and good shoes on your 1.5-mile hike around and through the pits. The area is undeveloped, and the knapping can be sharp, so watch your step along the way. Bring water along, for the summer sun can be hot. Some parts of the trail are steep and require some effort. In order to preserve the area, the park asks that you not pick up pieces of flint on your hike. Call ahead if handicapped access is needed.
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