Monte Vista Meander

Boulder in front of Tortugas

Becca and I got an early start on a trek out of the Monte Vista area on Tortugas Mountain's east side.  There were two other cars in the parking lot when we got there, but we didn't see anybody at first.  Later we saw two women jogging at a distance, a mountain biker, a lone hiker who we greeted on the outer loop road, a woman mountain biker, and a woman hiker who was closing in behind us as we finished our hike.  That's a surprisingly large number of outdoors people for the Monte Vista side of Tortugas.  Guess the heat--which was oppressive--didn't deter them from getting out for their morning exercise.

Boulder behind the mountain

Boulder and yucca

This way around the mountain

Steep slope

More distant look at the mountain

Sotols (left and center) and a yucca

Trail away from the mountain

Shade break in a yucca

B&W Yucca

Cactus Wren on a yucca saber

Desert greenery

In the sun those Ocotillos are brilliant green

About to head down a steep hill

This and the next two:  Barrel Cactus buds