Near Zion National Park, the Prickly Pear Cactus, Cholla Cactus, Claret Cup and the Cliffrose are among the desert plant species showing off their colors and textures. Ninety degree temperatures in March accelerated the growing and flowering of these desert classics.
The Claret Cup Cactus AKA as the Hedgehog Cactus.
The Daisy-Like Uinta Groundsel.
Pinyon Pine needles.
Utah Serviceberry blooms early in the season.
I’ve noticed wildflowers blooming in and around Zion National Park now and hopefully will find more in the near future.
With an abundance of moisture this spring in the desert southwest, flora was blooming all over the place!
Never heard of it? It is an area northeast of Las Vegas that President Obama set aside in 2016. Trump wants to shrink it. It comprises some 300,000 acres of pure and unadulterated desert landscape and is home to Desert Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Lions. I loved the remoteness. We camped about 20 miles from the nearest human. Little Finland is an area within the monument that showcases grotesque forms of weathered sandstone. I plan to return soon….
Saguaro National Park on either side of Tuscon, Arizona, is home to the Saguaro Cactus. Growing up to 40 feet tall, these plants are native to the Sonoran Desert. Other succulents and plants in the park include the Teddy Bear Cholla, Barrel Cactus, Hedgehog Cactus, Prickly Pear Cactus and the Ocotillo.
Kinda looks like a balloon you can twist into all kinds of unusual shapes.
The prickly spines on the cactus ward off animals looking for a happy meal!
Ocotillo
Recent rainstorms have produced dramatic skies and flowering Prickly Pear Cactus here in Southern Utah. Next post will showcase images from the surreal Wahweap Hoodoos.
Was in Zion Canyon today and noticed trees were on fire. The cottonwoods, maples and oaks were aflame. I got one shot for this post today. The rest to follow in a few days. Look for post tomorrow on the surreal and otherworldly Yellow Rock. You won’t believe it.
You’re probably wondering about the name. William Granstaff , a black man, settles in Moab in 1877 and successfully becomes a cattle rancher. The trail leads you through this glorious canyon composed of Navajo Sandstone, Cottonwoods, Willows, Juniper, Pinyon Pine, some prickly Cactus and one refreshing perennial creek. The big payoff is at the end(2 1/4 miles from the trailhead), the Morning Glory Natural Bridge, at 243 feet wide. A natural bridge is an arch but with water running under it.
Baja California is not in California, it’s in Mexico. The Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) is not in California, it’s in Mexico. But whatever it’s called, Baja Mexico is a place of much diversity, great landscapes and a vast desert environment surrounded by immense bodies of water. https://www.google.com/maps/@27.9998847,-113.5,6z
It’s about a 1,000 mile (1,609 Kilometers) drive from San Diego to the southern tip of Baja at Cabo San Lucas. I had the opportunity a few years ago to drive that stretch and to capture the essence of the land, its people and customs. The food was spicy, inexpensive and the military checkpoints were ubiquitous. The photos below are a good representation of the land in much of Baja with its endless mountain ridges and succulent desert vegetation. These photos and more are available as prints or downloadable files at http://dawn2dawnphotography.com/
And then there are the sunrises and sunsets. This was when I decided to name my website Dawn2Dawn Photography.
And when you get hungry, you head to town. They serve really good Mexican food down here!
After a great meal, it was time to reflect.
