Catalina State Park - Nature Trail

Tucson, AZ

The weather...it's getting hotter! Yesterday and today the temps rose into the 90sF.

 
 

 With that in mind we were up early (yesterday) to get in our usual 45 mins. at the doggie park, lunch and waters packed and were on our way to Catalina State Park by 9:00am.
 
    
 
Catalina SP is located adjacent to Coronado National Forest on the western slopes of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The park has an average elevation of 3,000 but varies dramatically with high ridges and low creek beds or washes.
 
The first trail we took was the Nature Trail...it's a 1 mile loop.
 The wildflowers were almost gone, but I did get a few pretty photos.

Couldn't find this one...any ideas?

 
The bees and butterflies were busy too!
 

a hedgehog cactus

 
 

I think that's a grasshopper...

 

Beautiful views to enjoy!

Larkspur

 
 

Bristle Bush



Blackfoot daisy

Lots more prickly pear blooms.

These not so little grasshoppers were jumping everywhere...the most frequently observed insect of the day!

Wire Lettuce/ Desert Straw

Spiny Lizard

Nice trails...Joe searching for a rattlesnake!

A dead saguaro...a bird's home.

A pretty view from the top of the loop.

 A desert horned lizard...best photos of the nature trail. This lizard has a flat body with one row of fringe scales down the sides. 



They usually blend in with the color of their surroundings.
   



They have pointed scales on their back.

   


Desert horned lizards eat ants, crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, and some plant parts.  

 Joe found a neat little tri-pod. It can sit on a rock, table, etc...the legs are flexible and bend so it's easy to adjust on an uneven surface...like the rock in the picture on the left. Or you can strap the closed tri-pod to a post, small tree, etc.



The picture on the right is the one he took of us...pretty neat!

The nature trail was fun! No, Joe did not find a rattlesnake, but the hiker in the picture below, who we passed on the trail, saw one just after he passed us up on the loop. EEKS!

 

We also did 2 other trails after our picnic. I will post those pictures next.

 

Hope you had a wonderful Wednesday! Thanks for checking our blog!

 

 

Y'all come back!

What is your favorite color?

Yellow...the most visible color and the first color the human eye notices!

Yellow flowers, birds, and skies are sure eye-catchers!



Red...the most powerful of colors!

Red represents heat, fire and rage. It also symbolizes passion and love.

Red gives the impression of seriousness and dignity.





Green...the most restful color to the human eye.

I think that's why God made trees green! It is the universal color of nature. Green can be uplifting...and represents rebirth and freedom.

However, not so uplifting is the expression "green with envy". Does anyone know how it originated? Probably has to do with money.

Brown...






Brown is associated with nature, trees and wood.  It is helpful in balancing out stronger colors.  It  is one of the most predominant hues in nature.

Gray...a neutral color that can enhance and intensify any other color it surrounds.






Blue...the second most powerful color. Blue represents sky, water and ice.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Orange...symbolic of strength, endurance and ambition.
 
 
 
 
 

 
                   
 





White...symbolizes purity, innocence and birth.




In the color spectrum, white is the union of all colors.

It's simplicity makes it an ideal color for establishing clarity and contrast in your images.


                    So...what's your favorite color?  

 We rode the Bajada Loop Drive in the Tucson Mountain District (West) today. We walked some trails too.

 If you have time...click on the lizard...the turquoise shines!
 

 Isn't it just beautiful how all the colors in nature work together?  

 

                              We had an awesome time!

                                       Y'all come back!