Arizona - Gilbert Ray Campground

Moved northwest of Tucson to Gilbert Ray Campground.  This is the third time we have stayed in this park and love the scenery.  The desert is starting to green up.  Lots of low green ground cover but it is plants not grass.

hillsides of Saguaro cactus

Saguaro cactus and Tucson mountains beyond



Saguaro cactus

no matter which direction you turn you are surrounded by mountains

 

The desert has a lot of character and its own natural beauty.  Unfortunately the cactus doesn't start blooming until the end of April and on into June.  It would be something to behold.

 

The Palo Verde tree is a legume!  It has green bark and no leaves as such.  It uses photosynthesis.  It actually gets seed pods later in the year.

 

There is a wide variety of cactus in this part of the desert.

these two look more like tires than barrels

Staghorn Cholla named such because of the antler like branches

if you remove the spines and get to the fleshy parts, this cactus is edible



this Barrel cactus is known as a Fishhook Cactus because of the bent barbs



Fruit Chain Cholla
this is also called Jumping Cholla because the parts break away so easily
and grabs onto whatever touches it

Hedgehog Cactus - taller than the pincushion

 

this might look pencil like but don't try and write with one - they are very prickly

 

March 5 - We went for a nature walk this morning for an hour and it was very informative.  We learned a lot about the rain in the desert - summer and winter rains.  This area is fortunate to get both.  The winter rains are softer and nourishing but the summer rains come as monsoons - hard and fast.

 

There is a bush in the desert called a Creosote bush and when it rains it gives off a creosote scent.  This bush has a lot of medicinal uses.  It also forms a shelter for small rodents and nursery for small cactus.

Creosote bush

 

this forty foot Saguaro cactus will actually have 40 feet of lateral roots

this is not a cactus but a desert shrub

these two cactus babies are growing in the shelter of an Iron Tree



lots of Gila Woodpeckers - very distinct sound



the light was just right to catch this spider's web on the rocks

and here is the spider waiting for its next meal

The campsites have lots of space between one another and we are surrounded by shrubs and cactus.

 

We didn't think the sunset tonight would be anything spectacular because of the overcast skies but we were proven wrong.  It looks a lot better with the naked eye than in the pics but it's the best we can do.