La Madre Springs - Memorial Day Weekend

Atkin and Katie came in town for Memorial Day weekend!  It is always fun to have them here.  We were going to go a few places, but the temperatures dropped significantly and the high winds eliminated some places we were considering.  We ended up in Red Rock National Conservation Area to hike La Madre Springs!  As usual, when we go on a hike, there are some there with less enthusiasm than some of the others.  When we arrived at the trail head, the temperature was probably around 60 degrees - pretty cool for us desert dwellers - so sweatshirts and jacket were worn and carried.

I need to explain a few of these pictures - my camera has a setting when the timer is used so you can set it to take multiple exposures.  From trial and error, I've discovered that for our family, 5 seems to be the magic number - at least one of the pictures will turn out so that everyone has a good expression.  You can see in the first picture the varied levels of enthusiasm - so we said we were going to do it again with everyone standing - just keep an eye on the girls!  You will notice that Atkin has bare feet and though he took his shoes along, they were not put on his feet.

It was a beautiful day for the hike - cloudy, cool temps and not too many other people on the trail. The scenery is dramatic and beautiful.

Agave (agave utahensis) about 8 feet tall - get up to 15 feet

La Madre Springs forms a series of small pools and waterfalls that go on for half a mile or more in a fairly rugged narrow canyon.  Because of the water, there is abundant life that you don't find in the surrounding desert - grape vines everywhere, wildflowers, bamboo, reeds, etc. 

Crimson Columbine (Aquilegia formosa) - in the Buttercup family

Palmer's Penstemon (Penstemon palmeri)

Utah Penstemon (penstemon utahensis) or Firecracker Penstemon (penstemon eatonii) - didn't get a good enough look to tell

We stopped by one of the pools and waterfall to get some pics. 

So we crouched around and tried to keep the waterfall in the picture. We took one set of pictures and then decided to take another set - Rebecca decided to entertain herself.

There was a wild rose that had a few blosssoms left and they had the most incredible fragrance - very strong and spicy - much like cloves.

Wild Rose (rosa woodsii) and Laurie

As we were leaving the springs, Laurie and I paused for a picture by a grape vine that has grown over the tops of some trees, making a little grotto.  Notice the Yucca in the foreground - we both got poked in the legs by its spiny, stiff, very pointed leaves.

And on the trail, nearer the car, the light was shining on these beautiful yellow blossoms of the Old Man Cactus.

Old Man Cactus, Grizzly Bear Cactus, Prickly Pear Cactus (opuntia erinaceae)

It was such a fun day to be with the children and enjoy the beautiful desert.