Just north of the mining town of Winkleman we found the hillsides covered with Saguaro cactus, with wildflowers at their feet. They were also all along the roadsides. Blue Lupine, white Desert Chickory and Mexican Poppies (sorry California, they are Mexican. Eschscholzia mexicana).
Further north, after passing through Globe, a bigger mining town, we came to the Salt River Canyon. I jokingly tell people that this would have been called "Grand Canyon" had that name not already been taken. You drive switchbacks down to the bottom, cross a bridge then start back up the switchbacks on the north side.
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| These are Chia |
This is a carpet of poppies, photographed from the opposite side of the canyon. You can't make them out here, but below the road there are masses of blue Lupine, too.
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| Part way up the north climb out, you can look back at the bridge and see the Salt River. Further upstream to the east, the White and Black Rivers come together to form the...Salt. Seems like they should become the Grey River, right? |
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| We coordinate the color of our flowers to match the roadside signs! |
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| Closeup of the Desert Chicory and Lupine below the road |
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| Mexican Poppies |
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| Desert Chicory |
