Endless Desert Gold flowers in bloom seen on the Death Valley floor. Vibrant peaks rise up behind them, with colors ranging from light tan to deep brown and red.

A vast field of yellow Desert Gold flowers in bloom with low hills in the distance which rise up to a mountain side.

A field of blooming Notch-leaf Scorpionweeds leads out towards the dry lake bed in Death Valley. Purple flowers cover the lower half of the frame, with a view of a snow covered Telescope peak in the far distant upper left, rising 11k ft above it all.

Several blooming Desert-five spot flowers in abloom of purple-pink, surrounded by unopened buds. One flower may be seen fully opened and exposing some of the beautiful interior red spots

Death Valley Superbloom

Was able to visit the ongoing #superbloom event in #DeathValley last week. Absolutely incredible to see the valley floor covered in flowers.

#Stunday #Wildflowers #NationalParks

A short and simple hike to a small riverfront beach at the entrance to a large canyon formed by the Rio Grande. Featuring views of a small lush oasis along the US-Mexico border, as well as wild horses, this hike is one of many great locations to watch the sunset at Big Bend National Park.

A vast open desert plain leads to a distant butte which spans the photo. From this distance, different bands of light brown and dark grey rock material may be seen under a partially cloudy sky.

An open yellow flower with red-orange interior may be seen growing on the end of a Beavertail cactus, with long, spiky thorns surrounding it.

A small riverfront beach may be found a the beginning of the canyon. With steep rock walls surrounding it, this scene for some reason reminds me of the Star Trek TOS fight scene between Kirk and Gorn.

A dusky white, wild horse peeks out from the bushes and gives the crazy eye. Got a pretty good mutual spook when I first walked past this unseen horse as we were both unaware of each other.

Boquillas Canyon Trail
Big Bend National Park, Texas

Easy, 1.26 mi out and back
249 ft elevation gain
Hiked 4/5/24

Flickr Album flic.kr/s/aHBqjCHu2P

#BigBend #NationalParks #Texas #RioGrande #Hiking #Photography #WildHorses #Landscape

Combining sections of four trails to make a loop, this trail takes you to the highest point in the Tuscon Mountains. Along the way you'll pass a small collection of petroglyphs, a small stone building, and abundant flora and fauna. With all of the elevation gain, the trail sports fantastic views.

A bee forages inside of a blooming pink flower on a Hedgehog cactus.

A steep hillside lined with purple wildflowers in bloom. In the distance the peak of the trail may be seen rising up.

A view back down the ridge to gt to the peak of the hike. Switchbacks may be seen on the hill to the left before heading along the ridge on the right.

A few Saguaro may be seen rising above a hillside covered in yellow wildflowers, which leads to a medium and a far distant mountain range.

Wasson Peak via Kings Canyon, Hugh Norris, and Gould Mine
Saguaro National Park, Tuscon, Arizona

Moderate, 8.04 mi loop
1,932 ft elevation gain
Hiked 4/3/24

Flickr Album flic.kr/s/aHBqjCHgML

#NationalParks #Saguaro #Tuscon #Arizona #Hiking #Photography #Landscape #Wildflowers

I spent a couple of days at the Catalina State Park waiting on minor flood waters to recede (2024), and while there hiked this lovely short little hike showcasing much of the flora found in the area. On the other side of the valley the jagged ridges of the Santa Catalina mountains rise dramatically.

An artistic mural located at the beginning of the trail. The center of the mural sports a multi-armed Saguaro, while around it are multiple desert animals drawn in a playful style. The sun and the moon may be seen in the upper portions of the mural.

Several clusters of Saguaro cacti grow among the shrubs on the side of the trail. One dead and dessicated Saguaro may be seen in the center of frame.

A view over a small cluster of Saguaro which leads to the ridge of the Santa Catalina mountains in the distance. The receding mild flood waters of a river may be seen cutting across the center of frame.

Several rocky and jagged peaks along the ridge of the Santa Catalina mountains. A very light dusting of snow is seen in the upper reaches, which are also dipping into a cloud above.

Catalina Nature Trail
Catalina State Park, Tuscon, Arizona

Easy, 1.46 mi loop
164 ft elevation gain
Hiked 4/2/24

Flickr Album flic.kr/s/aHBqjCHf3c

#Tuscon #Arizona #Hiking #Photography #Landscape #Mural

A short hike up through a Saguaro cactus forest, located at the west section of Saguaro NP. The trail is well maintained and along the way you'll be able to view a nice diversity of desert flora, with signs to help identify them. At the top of the small hill is an expansive view lined with cacti.

An odd looking large Saguaro cactus. The top splits into a Y with two branches, while lower on the body 3 branches loop around. One of these branches almost looks like an arm pointing at the camera, sort of an alien being.

A cluster of Pink Fairy-Duster flowers in bloom, with both spent and unopened buds nearby. The flowers are small and round, with long white stamens that turn to pink on the tips.

Looking towards a small mountain range with a Saguaro forest leading to it. in the foreground a collection of low desert plants may be seen including a large beavertail cactus,some ocotillo, a mesquite bush, and a yellow flowering shrub (appearing to be some sort of sunflower family).

The flowering head of a Buckhorn Cholla cactus, sporting many unopened red buds on it.

Valley View Overlook Trail
Saguaro National Park, Tuscon, Arizona

Easy, 0.85 mi out and back
98 ft elevation gain
Hiked 3/29/24

Flickr Album flic.kr/s/aHBqjCGZwE

#NationalParks #Saguaro #Cactus #Landscape #Hiking #Photography #Wildflowers

Sunset taken from the Ironwood National Monument BLM land near the Saguaro National Park. Two shadowed mountain ridges may be seen leading from opposite sides of the frame in the distance, while a brilliant orange glow burns above them. Small bands of clouds may be seen in the sky which turns to blue along the upper frame.

Sunset photo taken from the Ironwood Forest National Monument, located near Tuscon, Arizona

#Stunday #Landscape #Photography #Sunset

A hillside covered in paint with many religious themed and bible quotes written on it, adorned with a large cross. SlabCity SalvationMountain

A pulled out view of an old farm wagon painted over with various Christian related themes, the wheels have flowers painted on them.

A section of Salvation Mountain. Several large trees as well as bunches of flowers are painted on in this section along with 'Love is Universal.' In the bottom of frame, you may see where the paint ends and desert sand begins.

A section of Salvation Mountain, which appears to have a dwelling built into it as many windows may be seen within the painted mound. "God is Love' is painted on a large cube on a flatbed trailer outside of it and many empty paint cans may be seen lining the desert ground.

Salvation Mountain
Slab City, California

Flickr Album flic.kr/s/aHBqjCGVEN

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvati...

Located a few miles from the Salton Sea and adjacent to Slab City, this art monument was built by Leonard Knight and is themed around 'the Sinner's Prayer' as well as other Christian motifs

Formerly a popular getaway for beach-goers, this area is now considered a ghost town due to the devastation of the Salton Sea. In recent years, many art exhibits have begun to be placed here, many focused on the themes of being left behind and environmental degradation due to capitalism.

A large metal sign saying 'THE ONLY OTHER THING IS NOTHING', with the nothing carved in relief. It is standing upright along the Salton Sea Shoreline, with the water in the background under a hazy and partially cloudy sky.

A flock of shore birds picks at the muddy/sandy bottom of the Salton Sea. In the left of frame a small relief cutout of what appears to be a guy doing magic may be seen and to the right is a dilapidated outhouse. A distant mountain range may be seen through haze.

A rusted mailbox stands in the sand covered in stickers. Behind it a swing set is erected in the shallows of the Salton Sea while a mountain range rises in the far distance through thick haze. This scene gave me end of Terminator 2 vibes.

An interesting sculpture of a 50s style car converted into a small floating plane. It is surrounded by small boulders and in the distance a mountain range may be seen. License plates cut and pieced together form the word 'REINCARNATION.'

Bombay Beach
Salton Sea, California

Beach Walk
Minor elevation gain
Hiked 3/27/24

Flickr Album flic.kr/s/aHBqjCGVuW

#SaltonSea #BombayBeach #ArtWalk #Beachwalk #California #Art #photography #landscape

The Mastodon Peak loop will take you to a variety of interesting features, including an oasis with large California Fan Palm Trees, a large rocky peak (with spur to scramble to the top of), as well as an abandoned gold mine. Also enjoy the rich diversity of plants and wildlife along the way.

A stand of several large California Fan Palms growing at the Cottonwood Oasis, with a large ridge of rock rising up behind them. In the lower left of frame a group of hikers may be seen for scale.

A juvenile Common Chuckwalla peers out from the entrance to its home.

Looking across the land from Mastodon Peak. In the center left, a signpost may be seen that is the start of the spur to ascend the peak. Large areas of exposed and cracked bedrock may be seen below as well as a few mountain ranges in the distance.

Side view of a Common Chuckwalla half exposed from under an old rusted metal roof.

Mastodon Peak Trail
Joshua Tree National Park, California

Moderate, 2.58 mi loop
489 ft elevation gain
Hiked 3/27/24

Flickr Album flic.kr/s/aHBqjCGC8Q

#JoshuaTree #MastodonPeak #Hiking #Photography #landscape #Lizards

Located in the transition zone between the Colorado and Mojave deserts, this small patch of land grows a large quantity of Teddy Bear Cholla, leading to the creation of this garden patch. You'll also find Beavertail Cactus as well as a few Ocotillo, all with a stunning backdrop of desert mountains.

A field of Teddy-Bear Cholla Cactus growing near Turkey Flats. A Mountain range may be seen rising up in the distance.

A section of a Teddy Bear Cholla, with fruiting pods growing on it. Bearing little to no seeds in the fruiting bodies, the main method of reproduction is instead via breaking off and rooting of the stems.

A close up of a flowering Beavertail Cactus, with its bright pink flowers surrounded by unopened buds.

An Ocotillo plant with its long, spindly arms covered in small green leaves. From a nearby sign: Don’t confuse this unusual-looking plant, ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens), for a cactus. The thorny, multi-stem shrub is in fact a woody deciduous plant. Unlike other deciduous shrubs, which normally grow leaves in the spring and drop them in the fall, the ocotillo may grow and drop leaves as often as five times during the year. The leaves aren’t season dependant but rain dependent. Following a sufficient rain, the Ocotillo puts forth a cluster of leaves above each thorn, adorning the otherwise dead-looking canes with a flourish of green. At the same time red blossoms may appear at the tips of the canes. The leaves go about the business of photosynthesis—converting light energy to food energy—until the next drought; then the leaves turn red or brown and drop.

Cholla Cactus Garden
Joshua Tree National Park, California

Nature Walk, 0.2 mi
9 ft elevation gain
Hiked 3/27/24

Flickr Album flic.kr/s/aHBqjCGELh

#JoshuaTree #NationalParks #Hiking #Photography #Landscape

An easy trek located near the Jumbo Rocks campground area of Joshua Tree. This area is filled with large rock mounds and structures, including the namesake Skull rock and Face rock features. Not many Joshua Trees in the area, but some Pencil Cholla and a variety of wildflowers may be seen in season.

The Jumbo Rocks area of Joshua Tree seen from a distance. In this view a couple of 'peaks' made up of of large, fragmented boulders may be seen rising behind a small field of various desert plantlife.

A view of Face Rock in profile. Out of all of the face and man-named geologic features I've seen, this is the most clearly defined one.

Skull Rock, with a couple of green bushes nearby. This area is heavily visited and you will often see people climbing all over the structures.

A large field/mound of boulders and fragmented rocks sits under a blue sky. This view is a classic example of how the cracks in these structures lead to erosion and fragmentation.

Face Rock and Skull Rock Loop
Joshua Tree National Park, California

Easy, 2.55 mi loop
213 ft elevation gain
Hiked 3/26/24

Flickr Album flic.kr/s/aHBqjCGzru

#JoshuaTree #NationalParks #Hiking #Photography #Landscape #Desert #FaceRock #SkullRock

Great photo! The Dawson-Pitamakan loop is my favorite hike, just pure magic the entire hike!

An easy loop takes you to Barker dam, a small reservoir built for ranching in the early 1900s. This area is used extensively by climbers as many large outcrops may be found in the area. Apparently petroglyphs may also be found on a rock wall here, although I was unaware at the time so did not see.

A Joshua tree takes up the left half of the frame while in the distant right a large rock mound may be seen with a climber on the top of it attached to a climbing rope.

A large outcrop of fragmented rock rises up behind a field of small Joshua Trees under a blue sky dotted with a couple small clouds.

A few large boulders rise on the left of frame like a beacon with a large pile of boulders on the right. In between them a snow capped mountain may be seen in the distance.

A massive rock mound with many small boulders eroding off of it stands above a small grouping of Joshua Trees. Several small clusters of trees may be seen growing in portions of the mound.

Barker Dam Loop
Joshua Tree National Park, California

Easy, 2.33 mi loop
180 ft elevation gain
Hiked 3/26/24

Flickr Album flic.kr/s/aHBqjCGdJd

#JoshuaTree #NationalParks #California #Hiking #Photography #Landscape

At a higher elevation (~4,000ft) than many other sections of the park, this loop offers great views of Joshua Tree as well as a richer selection of flora. While popular, it seems to get a little less pressure than other parts of the park. Would likely be great for Sunrise or sunset viewing.

A small cluster of Joshua Trees.

A large Cholla Cactus sits on the edge of the trail, its many needled arms reaching out for hugs.

Several ridges of nearby hills lead away while in the far distance a snow dusted mountain may be seen being overtaken by clouds rolling over its peak. On the valley floor a collection of windmills may be seen as well.

Clouds roll over a distant mountain dusted with snow, while a hillside descends from right to left with various desert trees and bushes growing.

Panorama Loop
Joshua Tree National Park, California

Moderate, 6.81 mi loop
1,316 ft elevation gain
Hiked 3/25/24

Flickr Album flic.kr/s/aHBqjCGaFL

#JoshuaTree #NationalParks #California #Hiking #Photography #Landscape

Slightly diminish a band:

Talking Mouths

Rising over 5,000 ft above the valley floor, the trail along Dante's Ridge offers endless breathtaking views of Death Valley. The trail begins at Dante's view and continues alongside Badwater Basin from above, with many ups and downs along the way. Full sun exposure so be prepared and hike early.

A male and female Common side-blotched lizard seen in the middle of reproducing. The female is giving me the 'skink eye.'

The steep ascent along the ridge leading to one of the upper areas of the hike. Scattered sagebrush may be seen dotting the tan landscape.

A view of the jagged ridge near the end of the trail, with a snow capped ridge seen in the distance, fading into the blue sky above.

Mt Perry via Dante's Ridge
Death Valley National Park, California

Hard, 9.24 out and back
2,621 ft elevation gain
Hiked 3/21/24

Flickr Album flic.kr/s/aHBqjCGaFT

#DeathValley #NationalParks #California #Hiking #Photography #Landscape #MtPerry #LakeManly

What looked like a fungus growing along a rock, which wouldn't really make much sense in a desert setting like this. I would assume it is connected to the plant seen on both sides of frame, but I am not sure what the plant is. There wasn't enough exposed plant material for me to get an id on it either, so it's a mystery.

Extra photo of what I believe to be fuzz from a plant, but would love some help identifying. Looked like a fungus when I first saw it, which would be unlikely given the environment. Looks like the fuzz is attached to the small plant seen on both sides of frame and may be a way of seed dispersal.

A highly popular loop taking you along a gravel wash in lower sections before passing under the vertical face of Manly Beacon after taking a slight detour to the Red Cathedral geologic formation. Views of varying colored cliff faces and hillsides will mesmerize and the trek is filled with delights.

The Red Cathedral stands above a canyon of tan mounds. Various trails branching out from closer to the Cathedral allow you to access the mounds.

The tall, flat face of Manly Beacon, with a portion of the Red Cathedral visible behind it on the left. The trail may be seen cutting across the lower portion with a few hikers along the middle of frame. Photo was taken from a slight spur leading onto a large bald area, some of which may be seen on the right of frame.

Two large rocky hillsides with layers of diagonal light and dark brown banding may be seen with a ridgeline in the distance on the other side of Death Valley.

Rolling hills of light and dark brown patterned rock may be seen with a sloped ridgeline on the right of frame. A separate ridgeline on the far end of Death Valley may be sen in the distance.

Gower Gulch Loop and Red Cathedral Spur
Death Valley National Park, CA

Moderate, 6.5 mi loop w spurs
1,207 ft elevation gain
Hiked 3/20/24

Flickr Album flic.kr/s/aHBqjCFWRg

#DeathValley #NationalParks #California #Hiking #Photography #Landscape #Desert #ManlyBeacon #RedCathedral