This is part two of a two-part walk by Salt Creek in Death Valley. This time we start where the wooden walkway ends and take a path west and gently uphill:
The creek makes a right turn and catches up with this trail (the main creek in a ways away, and this is serious salty and sticky mud, so we don't walk in it):
A tributary spring is feeding the main stream on the left in this photo:
Are you wondering how we got so high above the water? Its the trail!
From the trail's higher vantage points, it can be seen that there is much water here. One can also see that it is still along way to the source, that flat area to the left of the mountain:
A touch of telefoto gives another view of the uplands for this creek, but the main water catchment areas are directly below us:
These water bodies are sizable if one stands at their level (yes, I am still on the trail):
The trail dips down to water level in a small side canyon, as you can see here:
This killdeer was doing some fishing:
This was a delightful walk, and the sun setting makes it cooler already, so it is a good time to walk back.
It was interesting to see the role that salt played in determining what grows where in this small valley: where it is too salty, nothing grows, where it is less salty there is pickleweed and salt grass. Where it is not very salty, normal desert vegetation would grow if there was just a little water (this is a display on the subject in the visitors center):
Notice here that pickleweed grows along the creek's banks, and salt grass is a bit farther removed, and then there is nothing: so the new salt water coming in keeps the salt content low, but as it soaks the surrounding ground and evaporates, it gets saltier:
Where fresh water comes in from an occasional rain, you can have some desert vegetation like shadscale survive, but as it meets the salt pan it only dilutes the salt a little to allow some pickleweed to grow, and then nothing (too much salt and too little water).
Now we are almost back to the car. Where the vegetation is toward the right is where yesterday's walk ended.
Thanks for coming along!
Go back to First Salt Creek walk
Go to Other 2008 Death Valley destinations:
Devils Hole Workshop Field Trip
Go to ThoughtsandPlaces.Org Home Page
Wingate Pass