Desert Botanical Gardens, Phoenix Arizona

Monarch Butterflies, trying to catch them in flight was a challenge. They're so beautiful. When I was a child they were abundant, now they are protected and we can see them in various Butterfly Gardens around the states. These are in The Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix.
It was extremely hot the day we were there, thus the sunglasses and hat pulled way down on my eyes. I did have on lots of sun screen and we walked slowly throughout the 50 acres enjoying over 130 rare desert plants. You often don't see me, The Traveling Suitcase; because I'm the one behind the camera; but this is me showing you the sign indicating we're in The Sonora Desert.
These are HUGE, one was large enough hubby could stand in the middle of it. I wanted you though to see the whole exhibit by Patrick Dougherty, titled Childhood Dreams. These are constructed with tree saplings. To date, Patrick has made over 200 massive sculptures globally.
Look at the detail and color in this one cactus! It's awesome. There were so many, I took 100 photo's the day I was there and everyone was interesting and unique. The gardens has a 63 year history of conservation and research of rare desert plants throughout the world.
There are many educational programs open to adults and children, a garden shop, gift shop, and patio cafe. Something for everyone. Through out the year many special events take place, such as Music in the Gardens on Sunday from noon til 2pm.

Carefree, Arizona

As night falls in the desert I'm reminded how small we are compared to the vastness and beauty of nature. The sun is warm, well hot really during the day; but as night comes knocking in the desert all that changes. This fading of the sun in Carefree Arizona was breathtaking. We watched as the shadows grew and the sky and all around changed colors. The process really only took a few minutes; and then it was cold. Time to go. We enjoyed a drink while we watched natures spectacle take over. Colors beyond what an artist can capture on canvas, and beyond what the eye of the camera can hold for you as well.

Carefree is a small quaint little town north of Scotsdale Arizona. We took a drive there to see an empty plot of land (friends may build there after retirement). Gordon Lightfoot sang about The Carefree Highway after being in the area. It's a young town, an upscale town conceived not long ago reallty-just back in the 1950's. Street names give you a feel for the area, Tranquil Trail, Stagecoach, Easy Street, Long Riffle. The town motto is "Home of Cowboys and Caviar". I've only tasted Caviar once...fish eggs....then again I don't like cooked fish; soooooooooooo.

Traveling The Historic Apache Trail, Arizona

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Here I am, your friendly tour guide.

Come travel with me as we tour and enjoy our trek into some rugged country in Arizona along The Historic Apache Trail. There's much to see, it's a full day. Most of my reading about this trail before hand indicated the trail took 5 hours, is 41.5 miles in length, and begins 15 miles outside of Phoenix at Apache Junction. The information I read did not indicate how truly rugged the roads were, that bathrooms were limited, and food even more scarce. The scenery though is well worth it. Beautiful outcroppings, sheer mountains, remote desert areas with cactus and lizards, a ghost town, mountains, hiking, camping, and Ancient Ruins. We spent the entire day...well beyond the 5 hours noted.. You'll experience hairpin turns as your drive through the Sonora Desert and see two common cactus -- Saguaro and Fero.

I suggest beyond my usual note to wear sensible comfortable shoes (which do not include flip flops or sandals), a bottle or two of water, you bring a picnic. There is only 1 place to eat along The Historic Apache Trail, and the offerings there (Tortilla Flat), are very very limited. A another word to the wise, do NOT pass up any opportunity to use a bathroom........it's a long day with only a few places available and most of those are pit toilets. You might also be wise to carry tissues. The shoes are needed to avoid the dirt, dust, and cactus. You will be traveling twisting, wilderness type roads. Only a portion of the drive is on a paved road.



So many sites to see along the way. Beautiful vistas from the inside of the car; as well as multiple opportunities to get out, walk and explore. Theodore Roosevelt Lake and Dam among them.
One of the interesting and very educational sites when traveling the historic Apache Trail is Tonto Monument. There's a visitors center, with a nice gift shop.
A pretty good hike to the top of the ridge provides quite a view of Tonto Monument off in the distance, as well as the city below.

The Indian Ruins are reported to be over 1,000 years old.



Goldfield, a mining town in it's day has been reconstructed, this memorial plague so notes this. You can tour this little reconstructed town for a taste of old west. In it's hayday, this ghost town produced 3 Million Dollars in 4 short years between 1892-1896.



We're looking down on the rugged road, one of the most rugged in all of Arizona. Large RV's and other over-sized vehicles aren't permitted. Some rental agencies don't even permit their RV's to be on this road due to the ruggedness.



The road had recently been graded, scraped...notice the dirt ridge on the edge.

Theodore Roosevelt Dam. The building of this dam was the primary purpose of the road (the paved road), which was built in 1930.


At Days end, a beautiful site. A man made bridge against an awesome sky(not man made) before we start our trek back to the hotel.

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Joshua Tree National Park, California

One feels so very tiny here in this vast landscape.

Petroglypys, if only we could read the stories they tell us.


Left from cattle rustling days, a dam. We also saw some tools, and a water trough. Hard to imagine trying to live, and work cattle in this desolate desert area. How hard life must have been.


Climbers....yep they're really there. We were quite a distance and this is a zoom folks. Gives you an idea of the size of things there.


Fantastic outline here of a Joshua Tree against the dark and angry sky of an approaching storm.

Hiking, camping, siteseeing via car, climbing??? Explore nature in many ways. Joshua Tree National Park--something for people of all generations. Got a family, stop in the visitors station and sign the kids up for The Jr. Ranger Program. You'll be surprised how much you learn with them. There are Ranger lead walks, talks, and evening programs. Interested in geology? You'll be in heaven here. Desert yes.....but not in the way many of us think of a desert. It was pretty nippy the day we were there, the climbers though probably liked the cooler temperatures. We were there in February. We spent a day there, our accomodations were in Desert Springs. If traveling from other areas, I would suggest packing a lunch as nothing really much is available along the way.

Entrance into the park is $15.00 (unless you have a Golden Annual Pass). Camp grounds vary from $10.00 to $15.00.

Like to go off road, ride horses? Those activities also exist here.

Layer, take water regardless of the time of year you go.

The Joshua Tree (Yucca Brevifolia)is a giant member of the lily family. If you see a Joshua Tree, chances are good you're in The Majave Desert, but you might also see it growing along side a Saguaro Catcus in the Sonoran Desert in western Arizona or mixed with pines in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Mormon immigrants that reach the Colorado River named the tree after the biblical figure Joshua. They felt the tree's limb were guided travelers westward. All tree limbs reach up to obtain the light, so to me they seem no different than other trees.

You do see the landscape change as you drive through the park from The Mojave Desert to The Colorado Desert.

Hope you enjoy these few of the many pictures I took that day.