This shows the well-maintained trails to be found in the park.
The park description says that this area has changed little since the first white settlers arrived here.  It's hard to imagine that somebody would look at this landscape and think, "This looks like a good place to stop".  I like it here, but I have air conditioning, a car, grocery stores, etc.
The mountains here are mostly rounded and "soft" looking.
This type of cholla does not grow near where I live.  I don't know what it's called.
More of the trail.
The saguaros are sparse in this area.  I saw very few young saguaros.
The trails are well marked.  If you carry the map you are given at the entrance and stay on the trails, it would be difficult to get lost.
IMG_2362
I wanted to get to the top of some of the mountains, but the trails don't go there.  This is a heavily used park, and if people start wandering off-trail, the vegetation would suffer greatly.  I wasn't going to leave the trail.
IMG_2364
Civilization can be seen from several spots on the trail, but seldom heard.  It was eerily quiet in the park.  We did not even hear birds.  We stirred up a cove of quail, and they flew away silently.
Pollution can be seen obscuring mountains on the horizon.
I tried to make a "photosynth" of this mountain but I don't like the way it turned out.  See my blog for details.
IMG_2368
IMG_2369
IMG_2370
IMG_2371
IMG_2372
IMG_2373
IMG_2374
IMG_2375
IMG_2376
There's some Teddy Bear cholla.
Back on the trail that will take us back to the trailhead.
IMG_2379
IMG_2380
IMG_2381
This trail is sometimes used by park vehicles, so it's very wide.
Not even HDR images turned out good today.  This one shows that the brown cloud is visible even on cloudy days.
Pollution hides mountains on the horizon.
IMG_2392_0_1
When we got back to the truck, this spider was walking nearby.  It looks like a miniature tarantula.  It refused to walk on Kyle's hand.
Estrella Mountain Park
Art
Author: Art (ID: 1009)
Posted: 2008-12-07 22:59 GMT+00:00
Mileage: 5.24 km
(1 rating)
Tags: Photography, Hiking, Landscape
Views: 3898
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My son and I went for a hike in Estrella Mountain park today. It's a very nice park with well marked trails. It was not as scenic as I am used to, though. It was an overcast and gloomy day, so the pictures did not turn out very good.

IMG_2355
This shows the well-maintained trails to be found in the park.
IMG_2356
The park description says that this area has changed little since the first white settlers arrived here. It's hard to imagine that somebody would look at this landscape and think, "This looks like a good place to stop". I like it here, but I have air conditioning, a car, grocery stores, etc.
IMG_2357
The mountains here are mostly rounded and "soft" looking.
IMG_2358
This type of cholla does not grow near where I live. I don't know what it's called.
IMG_2359
More of the trail.
IMG_2360
The saguaros are sparse in this area. I saw very few young saguaros.
IMG_2361
The trails are well marked. If you carry the map you are given at the entrance and stay on the trails, it would be difficult to get lost.
IMG_2362
IMG_2363
I wanted to get to the top of some of the mountains, but the trails don't go there. This is a heavily used park, and if people start wandering off-trail, the vegetation would suffer greatly. I wasn't going to leave the trail.
IMG_2364
IMG_2365
Civilization can be seen from several spots on the trail, but seldom heard. It was eerily quiet in the park. We did not even hear birds. We stirred up a cove of quail, and they flew away silently.
IMG_2366
Pollution can be seen obscuring mountains on the horizon.
IMG_2367
I tried to make a "photosynth" of this mountain but I don't like the way it turned out. See my blog for details.
IMG_2368
IMG_2369
IMG_2370
IMG_2371
IMG_2372
IMG_2373
IMG_2374
IMG_2375
IMG_2376
IMG_2377
There's some Teddy Bear cholla.
IMG_2378
Back on the trail that will take us back to the trailhead.
IMG_2379
IMG_2380
IMG_2381
IMG_2382
This trail is sometimes used by park vehicles, so it's very wide.
IMG_2386_4_5
Not even HDR images turned out good today. This one shows that the brown cloud is visible even on cloudy days.
IMG_2389_7_8
Pollution hides mountains on the horizon.
IMG_2392_0_1
IMG_2396
When we got back to the truck, this spider was walking nearby. It looks like a miniature tarantula. It refused to walk on Kyle's hand.
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