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Take a Hike-Highland Trail
The hillside is crowned with scarlet gilia.
At this point, the trail seems to be unnamed, but there is a Coconino County Parks sticker on the post.
the first wildflowers we see are wild geraniums, geranium maculatum.
Wouldn't you love to know what happened to this tree?
Viscid Four o'Clocks
A strange "flower" known as pine drops. No photosynthesis going on here! This plant relies on nutrients gleaned from fungi in the soil. and grooves on coniferous and mixed forests.
Golden aster blooming everywhere.
Commelina dianthifolia or Birdbill Dayflower. This is the most pure blue!
In a sunny hillside-Four o'Clocks and scarlet gilia.
And here's a close-up of a scarlet gilia. the hummingbirds were battling over the blossoms.
After about two miles, the trail starts to drop into a shallow drainage.
More Four o'Clocks!
And here was the gem of all, Cardinal Catchfly. We only found one such plant on the whole trail.
Just look at those deeply cut blossoms.
And funkiest of all, lobster mushrooms were starting to push their way through the forest duff.
You can hike as far as you wish on this trail. See you back at the parking lot!
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