The desert generally always looks the same. Sometimes it is slightly more green, sometimes it is a little more brown, and sometimes there is a little snow. But mostly, it just is. The only thing that really changes is the temperature. In the summer it is scorching hot and in the winter it is bitter cold. Right now, it’s still warm during most days, but the trees are changing anyway.

 

 

All of the leaves turned and fell in the space of a week on the mountain. But everywhere else, they’re taking their time. You can see a little bit of the never-changing desert around these trees in some of the pictures. Unless there happens to be little patches of snow, it will look exactly the same in January.

 

 

I have no idea if this canyon is named or what that name could be. I do know that it’s a nice little hike most of the year, but I don’t want to give its exact location because so far, not too many people visit it. It would be nice if it stayed that way.

 

 

We followed the canyon for a while and eventually ran into a marsh of cattails. The air was thick with their cottony seeds and all of us hiking were covered head to toe in it. I tried to capture how thick it was, but it just didn’t translate.

 

 

This was a really good hike. My kids for once, didn’t complain, cry, or have to be bribed. They drew out treasure maps before we left and insisted on going farther than any of us adults had planned on them going to find their treasure. The treasure was coins my husband hid while pretending to help them search. I’m crossing my fingers that wasn’t a fluke and we can go hiking a lot more often from now on. Even if it involves lots of treasure maps and loose change.