We went back to the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail(s). This time, we tried the Rosemary Dunes trail. I didn't like it as much as the Twin Bridges trail or the part of the Catman Road trail that we've seen-- too hot and "beachy", not enough shade. It might be nicer on a less blazingly sunny day, though.
On the plus side, the trail had cacti with yellow blooms, lots of skittering five-lined/blue-tailed skinks, and. . . an alligator.
Though we had just seen a sign alerting visitors to the presence of alligators, I was still surprised when we spotted this one in some water just off the trail. (When I took this photo, I'd guess it was just 10-15 feet away.)
Did you notice the dragonfly perched on the gator's head? So funny! I wonder if the dragonfly knew what it was standing on and just didn't care or if it thought it was just a floating log. . .
(There are a few less processed photos of the alligator in my Flickr photostream. I chose this one because I liked it best-- at the moment-- but I realize that this more highly processed look isn't for everyone.)
