Otro Arroyo (Another Arroyo)

Sunlight on the grasses along Tortugas Mountain's western slope

I guess our felicitous experience in an arroyo yesterday led Becca and I into another this morning.  The one we hiked (partially) comes directly out of the west side of Tortugas Mountain and is one of the major drainages on this section of the mountain.  The flora is pretty dense in sections of the arroyo, which forced us out of it several times in order to maneuver around the obstacles.  We saw many critter tracks in the arroyo bottom, including those of deer and foxes.  Becca loves to explore arroyos because of the cornucopia of scents.  (Something of a mixed metaphor, no?)

Headed toward a major arroyo (middle)

Looking back toward the mountain after entering the "wash"

A healthy Barrel Cactus in the arroyo bottom

Soaptree Yuccas growing in the arroyo bottom

The sandy floor of the arroyo

Looking toward the Organ Mountains from the arroyo

A fun place to scout out critters

You wouldn't want to be in here during heavy rains

The arroyo begins to widen out

Emerging from the arroyo

Back on the outer loop road

Chihuahuan Desert postcard