Desert washes beckon you. If you've ever driven through the southwest, you've probably noticed that when you pass a dry creek bed or a watercourse you have a momentary urge to explore it. I know that I do. Some are more enticing than others. Easy walking is helpful but those with trees are the best. These enchanting places seem to pull you into them. It is as though they want you to be finding their secrets and exploring their canyons.
Much of the surrounding desert scenery looks and feels hot and dry. Browns mix with grays, textures are coarse and landscapes are raw. A wash is a green corridor. It is like a verdent hallway hung with complex tapestries embellished with the detail of a million leaves. As you walk, the green surrounds you. The contrast is sublime.
Biological diversity abounds here. Insects buzz into flowers busily collecting nectar and pollen. Flycatchers, gnatcatchers, warblers, and shrikes flit busily after their hapless prey. Lizards scamper and dart out of harm's way. Plant communities thrive here as well. These emerald pathways are a magnet for desert life.
This photo was taken in a canyon on San Marcos Island. Palo blanco trees line its sides. Their blossoms filled the air with a spicy fragrance that drifted out from creamy white, ball-like clusters of small flowers. This wash did its share of beckoning. Most of our guests made their way into this arroyo, or should I say, it made it's way into them.
