As for are those “binoculars with the lenses missing?”… that is what I thought at first too, something to look through and focus the landscape, but as I wandered around more and eventually figured out it was an abandoned picnic/camp area, I think those were to hold poles for shade or something. Most every picnic site had one along with a crumpling BBQ pit and, what I believe was, a fire pit filled in with cement. It was all very weird, no signs or anything, just a spot to pull over and park and quite a few people were wandering around with us.