Arizona

You can take a hike up Picacho Peak Mountain in the cool springtime in Arizona. Winter visitors love this area. Remember to bring your photo equipment whether it be your digital camera or your movie cam. I always wear hiking boots or good walking shoes when I hike this mountain trail. There is a small mountain trail you can take the kids on if you think the main hike is too much for them. There are also trails that weave in and out around the south side of the mountain with wooden markers with pictures of wildlife.

In the spring in Arizona the native plants, such as palo verde, ocotillo, creosote, and mesquite start to bloom. If there is abundant rain in the Sonoran desert, the desert wildflowers and blooming cacti will be at their peak during May and June. Purple lupine, baby golden sunflowers and poppies can be found everywhere. The California poppy is the state flower of California. I have seen it in shades of white, yellow and bright orange. It is self seeding as is the African daisy which also blooms in Arizona. In a good year, desert wildflowers are in abundance a short drive from Phoenix and Tucson. These lavish desert wildflowers are a treasure to look forward to year after year. After the rains the mesquite, acacia, and palo verde trees and the prickly pear and cholla cacti have all added significant growth. The desert is not aways lush and green, in the summers they are quite uninviting.

Planting desert wildflowers is also a good way to attract native birds and butterflies to your yard. You’ll see cactus wrens, finches, wrens and roadrunners at Picacho Peak, along Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson, is a popular destination for those looking for desert wildflowers in the spring. The Arizona State Parks encourages visitors to call ahead to check on which parks have wildflowers blooming. Wildflowers often attract birds and other wildlife, perhaps you might even spot a javelina.