No rain means no flowers. No flowers, no crowds, no cash registers ringing. It’s a tough season this year in Borrego Springs.
Since April they have received just a little over an inch of rain, typically they would have over five inches. Not every spring is a super bloom, but this trip there was nary a flower. During a super bloom the town is jumping, the crowds are overwhelming, and for a few short weeks businesses are booming.
A multicolored carpet of flowers is an amazing thing to witness in the desert. The trade off for no flowers this year was no crowds. It was serenity and solitude. The weather was a perfect low 80s during the day. The evenings were heavenly, sitting in front of Opal with a sensual warm breeze watching the stars appear. A memorable trip indeed.
We’ve been at this spot a few times now. Free, flat as a pancake, no need to level, just drive a few yards off of the S-22 and park it. The S-22 is not a busy road. And it’s close to town! There was only one other camper in the area.
Stark beauty of the Santa Rosa Mountains.
Spring Equinox sunrise
We did two new hikes this trip, this is the start of Rattlesnake Canyon. A nice eight plus mile roundtrip. We ran into one like minded couple, other than them, not a single soul. He used an expression to describe the terrain that resonated with us: “You can feel time.”
A view of Clark Dry lake at the beginning of the hike
Quite a bit of climbing
Fascinating rocks
Harsh environment
The skull of a really young borrego
Big, beautiful, old Palo Verde
California Carpenter Bee mid-flight buzzing around a desert lavender
The turn around point, a 20 plus foot dry waterfall
The trek down
Our second hike we called mile marker 37 on the S-22. It was less than four miles and featured some impressive sandstone formations. Oh yeah, and we had it all to ourselves.
The hike ended here at this impassable formation.
A perspective shot while we were heading back
A great picture of some smoke trees
At the end we walked a culvert under the S-22.
If every wrinkle tells a story, then I’ve got a lot of stories!
WOULDN’t let me leave a comment. 100% tranquility for sure. That wine will let you think you have no wrinkles Amazing all the miles you two can hike and rocks to climb. Do it while you can!!! Still no time to read Africa blog. Today was in ruins from the start…….OMG!!!!
I don’t know what’s going on with the comments, a lot of people are having problems leaving one?
Love the wine and wrinkle picture, looks like it was a very peaceful trip.
😊