Whitewater Preserve

We were really lucky with yesterday's weather. It rained all night and all day after we arrived here in Desert Hot Springs, but we were promised nice weather for Wednesday, and boy, oh, boy. It was near perfect. When we looked outside first thing, we had a beautiful view of the San Jacinto Mountains.

Later, the clouds moved down the mountain, nearly obscuring it.

It was about that time we took off for Whitewater Preserve, about 14 miles away.

As we approached the visitor center, we stopped to admire a beautiful green pool. The sides were lined with rocks.

And, yes, it really was that green.

As you might guess, we were informed of the many ways we could die out there on this day. Mountain lions and rattlesnakes were probably our biggest worries. In fact, there had been a rattlesnake siting the Sunday before our Wednesday visit, so no kidding around.

Oh yes...and pack lightly if you know what's good for you.

Here's the story about this place. It is part of the Wildlands Conservancy. As it turns out, the pretty green pools outside the visitor center were a part of a former trout farm.

The Wildlands Conservancy has a mission to "preserve the beauty and biodiversity of the earth and to provide programs so that children may know the wonder and joy of nature." Looking at the map below, the brightest yellow parcels indicate the parts of the area that have been acquired by the conservancy and turned into a system of preserves.

Inside the visitor center, there was a continuous loop of footage from their many cameras hidden around the preserve. It was very interesting, but I especially knew you'd enjoy this section with a mother bighorn sheep and her energetic youngster. Anyone who's ever spent time around a young child will appreciate it. I want to emphasize this is not my video. It is a video of a video. If you can't see it on your device, then click right here.

After checking in the visitor center, we went back outside for a short hike. Of course, we'll need to get the rules straight first. 

Also...feral cattle...even if you don't see them, you might see their droppings, so watch your step.

At the beginning of the trailhead was this monument to someone. I always like reading these names of unknown people and the inscriptions that accompany them.

This was a stone version of those signs that point in all directions. I'm sorry, Canada. I don't think we'll be visiting today, but the Pacific Crest Trail is a distinct possibility.

We have been to many natural places on this trip, and we often see words from John Muir. The man was a naturalist, but he was also a poet.

Looking out across the valley, we saw this:

We took a trail marked "river access." It was easy walking...mostly flat.

We'd been warned at the visitor center that some of the bridges had not been replaced after some flooding from the recent rain. We could get across here.

When we reached the river, we could go no farther. Certainly, this is how the place got its name. I'm sure there are times of the year when the water is white. On this day, it was too muddy for that. Looking left, we saw this:

Looking right, we saw this:

We turned around and took what was supposed to be a loop hike. There were several options with spurs of differing lengths. Still, when we reached the river, we would have needed to remove our shoes and socks to cross over. After watching a few people do it, we decided we'd seen all we needed to see for this day.

There were still other trails we could take, however. We walked a short distance away from the river. There, we found these little blooming things.

While in the visitor center, we learned this is a curve-billed thrasher. He was singing and singing and singing.

The birdsong was interesting enough, but we especially loved the "frogsong" here. I made a short video so you could here it. Be sure to turn up your volume. If you can't see the video, then click right here.

Also along this path, we saw one of the many hidden cameras. Idiotic tourists that we are, we got right in front of the camera to inspect, not considering that we were being photographed all the while. That should give the rangers something to laugh about.

Back at the visitor center, these were beginning to bloom. We have these at our campsite too, and the flowers eventually turn to pods that dry up and open to spill their seeds.

There were actually two ponds here. This is the first one we approached from a different angle.

Walking on, there was a second one.

The water here was as emerald green as the first.

We saw a couple of coots here. I was so excited to find this one above water so I could get a good picture of his feet. When we met up with my friend Judy at the beginning of this trip, she explained their feet are like this so they can walk on marshy terrain.

Here's his buddy. He looks like he means business.

From there, we walked back to our truck. Along the way I noticed these hanging from a tree...it might have been a sycamore tree.

And then we headed back to the RV. There is a lot of wind power being generated here.

Looking in all directions, one is surrounded by windmills. There are solar farms as well.

Back at the Traveling Three Cats Ranch, Smitty got out for a bold and daring walk. I put the Amazon box there, hoping a cat might get inside. But let's just take a look at that fabulously hunky and handsome feline physique. Ain't no box made that's going to contain that level of Cat Man Meat.

It's supposed to rain again today. I'm up before dawn, and so I can't really see the sky yet. There has been no rain so far. It really doesn't matter though because we're moving on. Our next sight-seeing spot will be near Angel's Camp, California. There are three ghost towns there within a 15 mile radius of one another. We'll spend four nights there so that we can explore all three. It was just another thing from my California folder.

At this point, I have reservations at RV parks that will see us the rest of the way home. There is still lots to see between here and there, however, so keep your hiking boots laced up.