Desert Messenger

12 www.DesertMessenger.com March 15, 2017 T��� ����� ������� �� D����� M�������� SEE ROCKS PAGE 13 Rocks, wildflowers, and brief photo-ops ADVENTURES WITH ROCKS ™ By Jenn Jedidiah Free • www.AdventuresWithRocks.com It's that time of the year. Spring is in the air and the desert is teeming with wildlife. Quiet walks or peace- ful drives in the desert during this spring season are rewarding. In ad- dition to awesome rock formations, fabulous history, and amazing scen- ery, the soaking winter rains have brought blankets of wildfl owers to our beautiful desert. Flowers are blooming everywhere, and the land is awash with brilliant golds, orang- es, purples, and pinks. Two awesome day trips to see the wildfl owers in full regalia are close to Quartzsite. To the north of Parker off of Hwy 95 lies Buckskin Mountain State Park and to the south towards Yuma are Imperial and Kofa Wildlife Refuges. All three of these local gems offer nice easy trails to walk. As a hik- er, I enjoy traveling the desert terrain off trail, but these days I feel like no matter where I step I am crushing a precious jewel poking its head up out of the rocky desert fl oor. So I am care- ful to tread lightly, stay on trails, and always have my camera ready. To get to Imperial Wildlife Refuge, head south from Quartzsite on Hwy 95. Turn right onto Martinez Lake Road and then right onto Red Cloud Mine Road. The Refuge is best ex- plored by boat along the Colorado River, but there is a scenic drive with some beautiful views of wild- fl ower-covered mountainsides. A short walking trail called the Painted Desert Trail winds through multi- colored dunes and rock formations where wildfl owers abound. Kofa Refuge lies east of Hwy. 95 and stretches from just south of the BLM camping area to just north of Yuma. There are several entrances to Kofa Refuge. The most popular one is about 15 miles south of Quartzsite where a short walking trail leads into Palm Canyon, a box canyon lined with wild Palm Trees. North on Hwy 95 towards the Park- er Dam, is Buckskin Mountain State Park. The park has access to the Col- orado River as well as a short trail system called the Buckskin Loop Trail with excellent wildfl ower view- ing. Along the trail there are several spots with benches that offer peace- ful places to stop and enjoy the wild- fl owers, scenic views of the moun- tains, and the Colorado River. In addition to wildfl owers, the Buck- skin Mountains are known for cop- per, manganese, and iron ore depos- its. There are also historical accounts of gold being found in this area, primarily in quartz deposits and in washes. A short spur trail off the Buckskin Loop leads to some small mines dating back to the mid 1800s. Old surface mines with exposed veins of copper, quartz, and iron ore can be explored, and there is also a vertical shaft copper mine that can be hiked to but it is fenced off. If you have more time, and de- sire a longer trip, there are several places within a few hours drive from Quartzsite which offer amaz- ing scenery and terrifi c wildfl ower viewing. Southeast of Quartzsite, on Interstate 8 between Yuma and Tucson, is Picacho Peak State Park. To the West, a straight shot from Quartzsite on Interstate 10, is Josh- ua Tree National Park. Both of those parks also have ample RV camping as well as other amenities. For those traveling north through Nevada on Hwy 95, take a side trip from Beatty into Death Valley National Park. All three of these parks offer spectacular wildfl ower viewing, as well as fabu- lous rock formations and other natu- ral wonders. Before leaving the beautiful des- ert, we should all take at least one more opportunity to savor this place that has gotten all dressed up in its springtime best for us. And next year, when we are once again bat- tling the wintertime storms out here THRIFT STORE Benefitting the La Paz County Animal Shelter in Parker Supported by your generous donations! 455 E. Main St. Quartzsite Open Tues. thru Sat. 9-3 928-927-4223

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