CLARK DRY LAKE HIKE

Since the weather is cooperating with us, we decide that we are going to take another hike.  This hike is right in our own front yard here at Clark Dry Lake in the Anza Borrego desert. We decide to leave Oliver and Olivia home.

In comparison to last year, the desert looks dead. Plants, Creosote bushes, grasses, Ocotillo, cholla cactus; they all are not dead but have gone into dormancy.  What we see this year is grey and brown,  with one exception, a tree that I cannot identify.  

Rather than starting from the motorhome, we drive the Miata about a mile north  toward the dry lake that looks close enough that we could walk to it.  In the desert, everything appears to be closer than it actually is. 

As we walk, little sights draw our attention. We marvel at what wind, rain and heat can create.                                           Here, the shrub and grass are the same color as the sand. 

                                                                                                                                                                Talk about monochromatic!  At least in this next photo, I am able to get a touch of the sky and clouds.                

What creature of the desert has lived in here?  Is it still in there?  Did it cover it's track while inside sweeping the floor?

 




Looking north, the sky and the varied hues coming from the mountains provide distraction from the desert floor.

The tree stands in the wash waiting for next winter's rains.  Hopefully, the drought will end and next year bring green in the sleeping desert.  

 I climb a nearby hill and look out toward the dry lake.  Ahh!  I see something green!  Maybe there is water down there?  Let's go see.  

John says he has walked far enough knowing that we have yet to return to the car.  Good decision on his part as we have lost sight of the car long ago.


I continue on and on and on.  Until I reach my goal.   

There must be an underground water source.  But it is deeper than the other desert plants have reached.  

Since I have totally lost sight of John, I turn back and spot this interesting formation in my path.   


 What do we have here?  A mini volcano?  An aunt condo?  What desert creature lives here.  

Any ideas?  Where do the scorpions and tarantulas escape the hot sun only to come out at night?  That reminds me why I am so thankful that we have a black-light flashlight.  Those critters only show up at night with that kind of flashlight.

Continuing to walk back to where John is supposed to be resting, I find he is not there.  OK, where did he go?  I look around expecting to find him venturing out of the wash. Nope, no John.  

I look for shoe prints in the sand.  They all point North.  If he were returning to the car on his own, some would be in a southerly direction.  

I continue to walk south looking for tracks.  Only a Black tailed Jackrabbit darts across my path startling me enough to make me scream.  Tense?  No!  I'm not stressed...

Ahhh, after a while, I find John's tracks heading south. Rounding  a curve in the wash, there sits John in the midst of rocks.  That's my rock hounding husband all right. Geesh.

Oh well,  we return to the Miata and drive back to the motorhome.  We have had a great walk.  It was longer than the previous day, therefore we are both making progress.  

Did we arrive at Clark Dry Lake?  No.  It looks just as far away as it did from the motorhome.  Now, I am wondering how far from the motorhome the dry lake is.

The day was so nice that we could have taken the dogs with us.   

Thanks again for joining us on our desert walk. It is getting warmer so I think we will take Al's suggestion and hike the slot canyon next time.  Come back again and we will take you with us.  

God bless!