There's a late bloom this year for the desert and mid-March was an excellent time to go. Our little campsite at Yaqui Wells.
The first hike was an easy Yaqui Wells hike between the Tamerisk Campground and ours w/ a spectacular showcase of all the bloom had to offer. While on the trail we saw two wild turkeys fly down and wander the same direction we were going in. I didn't realize any wild turkeys existed in SoCal, much less in the middle of the desert...unless they were very lost. They had the waddle and everything. Alas, they were too swift for the paparazzi. The trail ends at an oasis w/ a sign asking hikers to please stay out for restoration purposes. I mention to Jason it's just as well since there's probably snakes in the tall grass and I grab a seat on the edge of the grass to listen to all the little birdy sounds. Immediately after sitting down, Jason makes me aware that only a few feet away is a Red Diamond rattler cruising on by. One of the more mellow rattlers, we didn't even get to hear her/his song; just kind of gave a look like see you at the oasis!
Jason had just finished a Southwestern American Art history class and we were psyched to know pictographs abound here. The main place go was a short drive from our campsite, so we headed out for a sunset hike. Here's some almost huggable Teddy Bear Chollas cactus.
Though the trail head is well marked, there are no signs where the pictographs were and we were beginning to think we had passed them. The trail is very easy and extends much farther than where the pictographs are located. We spotted them easy enough.
A larger view of them. No one is quite sure what they mean or they're doing good at keeping them to themselves. I remember antiquities being photographed at the Getty w/ UV lights and all this invisible detail would spring out to the eye. I'd love to come out here w/ a uv light to see what hidden marks are on the boulder.
A mortero at the foot of the boulder w/ the pictographs, possibly used for ceremonies.
The walk back from the boulder.
Jason noticed this rock; looks like it was punched by a giant. This boulder is possibly about 12 feet high to give a scale.
The road out there is pretty pitted and washboard though any vehicle can do it in dry weather. Ahhh, the sunset coming...
The next day brought the Panoramic hike, entrance found at the main Anza Borrego campground in Borrego Springs. The trail up...
And the panorama; definitely worth a click.
I hate it when people deface plants in the parks, but despite myself, this made me smile.
Moi, w/ what I assume is a controlled burn in the distant.
And all throughout the park were the fantastic Ocotillos! I read that the tall ones like this (possibly 13'?) can take hundreds of years to grow. We just bought seeds so we'll see how it goes.
A little finch. What continuously amazes me about the desert is what is able to live there. It can be such a harsh place to live yet if I take a moment to watch and listen there's so much life around.
Remember 6th grade camp? These kids get to go to Anza Borrego for theirs. They're all the little people dressed in red (ya know, find the kid in the red shirt lost in the desert; easy to spot.) Those neat round buildings were their activity rooms I think.
Fantastic little tiny flowers pushing up through the gravel floor. Those are our toes at the bottom.
So the Panorama hike was considerably easier than I thought it would be. The official top is the red arrow on the left. We ended up hiking to the arrow in the middle. At some point I would like to return and do an all day hike to that far peak on the right. Could probably do there and back in about 8 hours. It's only hard in that the rocks are a bit loose coming back down and I'd want to take it slow.
A unique bug crawling across the campground road.
A late lunch and then off to the Palm Canyon Trail. There's a pool at the head of it w/ the rare pup fish. Keep swimming, little guy!
A fallen palm on the trail, this reminded me of the Lorax; reminded Jason of a hipster.
I have such a poor sense of direction for places I don't know. Luckily whenever lost on this trail, just follow the river...
...which will lead to a fantastic oasis w/ many California Palms and little pools of water. Apparently I was the only person who felt comfortable stripping down to my skivvies to hop in the water. I was hot...whatever.
My hand in the upper photo is outstretched against a crack. And hiding in the crack were these little guys.
Jason relaxing in the shade.
My attempt at a montage of the oasis.
After our hikes we were very pleased to find there were showers at the campground. Don't forget your quarters! A bit worn, I wanted to check out The Palms hotel to see the modernist architecture. Once there, the restaurant started calling to us and I tucked into fried chicken w/ mashed potatoes and Jason chicken fried steak. Jason on the stairs.
http://www.thepalmsatindianhead.com/
As one enters town via Hwy S3, you'll see dozens of metal sculptures of animals lining the roads ranging from dinosaurs to elephants. Because night had already fallen we didn't get a chance to look at them so much, but here's a silhouette of a couple horses.
And the flash shot.
Our final morning there brought our final hike; the Cactus Loop. Pretty easy climb up and around the hill once again generously displaying the bloom the desert had to offer.
The cacti will grow anywhere!
Our friend the Ocotillo w/ Tamirisk campground down below.
Valley beyond the dolls.
And a teddy bear cholla hugging a fantastically colored cactus who's name I cannot remember for the life of me.
This poor little skewered martyr. We saw him just as we were about to step off the trail and back to the vehicle. Not the friendliest photo to end this post on, but I guess that's the desert.
Okay, maybe not end on the impaled lizard...instead here's a gif of some poppies blowing in the wind. Enjoy!
gifninja.com
