... 'Calico Tanks' trailhead where it splits from the 'Sandstone Quarry' trail...
... an ancient 'Agave Roasting Pit' where the native people roasted agave plants and game such as 'Big Horn Sheep' and 'Desert Jack Rabbits'...
... a trail view of 'Turtlehead Peak'...
... lots of contrasting landform and color...
... large rock formations...
... 'Agave' plants...
... some nice color contrast between the red sandstone and green desert pines...
... lots of blooming desert wildflowers...
... think these may be called 'Apache Plume'... maybe not...
... some type of 'Purple Sage'?...
... 'Cholla Cactus'...
... with blooming lime-green cactus flowers...
... and more 'Cholla Cactus'...
... with blooming orange and red cactus flowers...
... largest of the 'Calico Tanks' - a large pond or pool in the rocks, or 'Tinaja' as they are known throughout the southwest... they were all dry this day... would like to see them when conditions are right (replenished by storms) as they are said to house a species of small shrimp (related to the popular 'Sea Monkeys'), whose eggs survive in the dust through years of drought, then sprouting and quickly mature when water arrives to breed and produce more eggs to again lay in wait through subsequent period of dust and drought for water to return...
... some nice east facing views, from just beyond the 'tanks', of the 'Calico Hills'...
... and the 'Las Vegas Valley' - that's the city of 'Las Vegas' off in the distance...
... with the 'La Madre Mountains' to the north...
... had 'Desert Dog Koda, M.D. (Medical Dog)' along this day as well...
... heard that she recently had a few rear hip issues, but has since gotten better... good!... sure that she is now back to chasing lizards (seen here) and other desert varmints...
... one last stroll thru the 'tanks'...
... and return down the trail...
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