Critters and Petroglyphs, Valley of Fire
Bighorn sheep ewe
As promised, here are some of the critters at Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada.
Antelope ground squirrels hold their tails close to their rumps and are common in campgrounds and at birdfeeders like these guys. Read the rest of this entry »
Valley of Fire
One of the most beautiful Western landscapes I’ve ever seen is in a Nevada state park that I would have missed if I hadn’t exchanged a little trail banter with a fellow hiker at Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas this past May.
The Valley of Fire State Park is aptly named, and the “fire” really shows its mettle at last light or in the day’s first kiss of sun. Read the rest of this entry »
Wichita Mts NWR in winter
Bison on the prairie
It was spitting snowflakes yesterday afternoon at Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, but the bluster passed when the sun lowered itself below the frothy sea of clouds.
It was then that I finally found the bison I had sought. Even though there are several hundred on the refuge, I saw only four.
I saw lots more longhorn cattle, though. They are not “wildlife” per se, but they are here because they are a historic breed of cattle tied into the history of the West. Read the rest of this entry »
Organ Pipe National Monument, Arizona
Organ Pipe cactus, Organ Pipe National Monument, Arizona
The distinctive organ pipe cactus is so sensitive to freezing temperatures that its northernmost range is in very southern Arizona in and near Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. However, the most noticeable cactus is the saguaro. Read the rest of this entry »
Ajo, Arizona
Mule deer doe in saguaro forest
Although I chose not to visit Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge with a heavily loaded minivan due to the rugged roads, I stopped at the refuge’s visitor center in Ajo, Arizona and found out about a loop drive that was much easier to navigate. Read the rest of this entry »
Kofa NWR – Arizona Landscapes
Kofa NWR, Arizona sunrise
Any excuse for a road trip: I moved to Oklahoma for a better job, and I stopped at some scenic places enroute.
Almost as soon as I crossed from California into Arizona I started seeing saguaro cactus. Read the rest of this entry »
