Rainbow
Basin Trip, March 2000
Owl Canyon Campground and Wildflowers
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Owl Canyon Campground and Wildflowers
We rolled into the Owl Canyon BLM campground at dusk and set up camp. Coldcut sandwiches hit the spot!
Clouds threatened a bit, so we set up the tent, but slept out in the open under more stars than LA will ever see. In the chill of the morning, we warmed up over hot instant cereals and hot chocolate, then hiked around the campground a bit getting a feel for the place.
The campground is very tidy and quiet, with clean pit bathrooms and a water tap. We didn't run into the BLM attendant, but other campers apparently had. There is a camp dog that has been living in Owl Canyon for at least three years known as "Hobo", who will investigate visitors a bit but not let anyone near him.
As you can see, there were not many people there overnight on Friday, just a trio of camper-trailers, one van-convertible fellow with a mountain bike, and a pair with about six dogs, who Hobo joined in play with. The campground lends itself to seclusion... though there is not much foliage anywhere, the outcroppings between the sites alow you to fantasize that there's no one for miles.
These are the slopes above our campsite, and the view from them to the pair camping with their dogs site.
Dad hiking along the ridge between the two sites, and me hiking up (having two cameras along is fun!).
These little whitish plants were all over near the campground, some with reddish flowers/berries, and some without. We still haven't identified them (Dad's botany background from college on the east coast did not include desert plants!).
Saturday morning, we drove out past the group campground and along Fossil Bed Road to the "scenic drive". These didn't turn out too well thanks to the poor light, but you can see on the map the area I'm referring to. When I get the time, I'll either retouch these, or find a better map of the roads, trails and campground.
Wildflowers?!?
Dad's interest in botany is what originally led us to plan a desert trip for this spring; he had hoped to see the desert wildflowers in bloom. However, this year, the show is not expected to be spectacular, since the weather patterns have not been conducive. We did see a few things in blossom, which we haven't identified yet. The bladder plants in different microclimates were in different states of development...
And we haven't figured out yet what this funny yellow-blossoming peapod plant is, either.
On To Rainbow Basin Scenic Drive
Back to Rainbow Basin Trip Page
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