March 5th hikes - Ranger guided

This little guy is a Zebra tailed lizard. Very fast, and I don't know why he stood still for a pic. They zoom around like you would not believe

 Golden Canyon was a ranger guided talk with history of this canyon as a location that was once paved until the 1978 rain storm that took the road bed out completely. We walked and talked with the ranger for about 3/4 of a mile. Then I went the rest of the way to Zabriskie Point with a couple of other persons I met that day. I was going to go on back by myself, but was afraid I would get lost so an older couple whose wife did not do the walk but met her husband at the end point and drove me back to where our car was sitting.

 One of the sites along the way to Zabriski Point.

 Most of the rocks/mountains along this way are "golden'or shades of tan.

 Panoramic view at Zabriski Point.

 Wednesday Range talk at a side of Artist's Drive people usually don't go to. He was very informative. We kept a good pace while he shared his knowledge of geology.

 The snow capped peak is Telescope Peak. The tallest point for Death Valley at 11,000 Ft. Where we are here at Artists Drive is slightly above sea level.

 I thought for sure I had found a fossil. This is called a Dendrite. imprinted from a plant, but not a fossil

 Salt Water Creek is the home of a small fish called Pup Fish. yes in Death Valley and yes there is water in Death Valley. Their life cycle is just one year. The males have a bright blue tale at mating time. The board walk we traveled on has me a little too far away to get pics of the fish.

 Looking out beyond the board walk. You see the path to the right. We wlaked out alomost to that grey peak you see in the middle of the picture trying to find the source. We turned back and asked the Rangers where it was. We only had another 1/2 to 3/4  mile to go... maybe we will make the trek again before we leave.

More of what we did today 3/7/14 when I get those uploaded. Thursday was another Ranger guided tour of about 4 hours in an unamed canyon. We found many of the flower, learned which to touch and which not to touch.  But I have run out of time and energy to add those now.