Showing posts with label claret cup cacti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label claret cup cacti. Show all posts

Sunday, May 28, 2017

A Sunset Desert Hike

Out of the campground is the Rio Grande Nature Trail.  It begins here...





Across this marsh area...it was a little dry but with some rain I could almost see ducks enjoying this marsh as some guide books had mentioned looking for waders.







the trail meanders along the edge of the marsh to start it is listed as an easy hike, then it does a little climbing...up to an overlook area...



a kettle  of turkey vultures sailed over this saddle





Looking back to the Rio Grande



The claret Cup Cacti again, I think it is my favorite!







It seems a sunset  changes everything dramatically...



the trail begins going up here...



 and curls around the edge of the hill and you can view the river from the other side...closer 



up the river spur trail ...it joins the overlook trail 





then this caught my eye down by the water....far away so I zoomed the camera as much as possible...



I have narrowed it down to either Common Black Hawk, or Zone Tailed Hawk and have been flip flopping back n forth ...either one is new to me! Wish I could have seen his tail that would have helped me the area under the eye looks light!



I totally want a cacti garden in my future...they catch the light so well



I don't think cholla, or ocotillo would grow in SC but we have Prickly Pear it grows great in the area where I live.



the bridge over the marsh on the right 



what a 
SUNDOWN





Another good night in camp and my plan is to move to the other side of the park tomorrow. 



PEACE
Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.