PART 4:  The Flowers of Willow Beach, Arizona

If you are coming from Las Vegas, cross Hoover Dam into Arizona and go south about nine miles or so.  Then comes a sign for Willow Beach on the Colorado River.  The river here looks like this:

And like this (now you can see some beach):

The flower fields were more than halfway up the slope from the highway to the river:

This particular field surrounded this rock chimney:

At the tail end of this field, one can see just a sliver of the river in the canyon below:

Turning around from the above photo's location gave this view:

A few close-ups seemed warranted:

This is a view to the road that takes you to the river:

Walking to the road and turning back gave a last few of the field we have just visited:

Off the road a little bit closer to the river there was a slope with many flowers:

Note the different flower varieties blooming here, many more blues and whites and purples:

Lupines were plentiful here:

Don't know the names of these white or purple flowers, but will come back here and tell you when I find out:

This buttercup was simply gorgeous:

There are many more photos, but they are variations on what is by now a very pleasant but familiar theme.  We got back on the road south, toward Kingman, turned west to go to Bullhead City/Laughlin, and saw this on the way down into Bullhead City: Note the Colorado River below on the right, and the strange salute by Mother Nature to those who travel this road.  Maybe this road was an unwelcome intrusion on her privacy?

Climbing the mountains to the east of Laughlin brought this nice view.  That white line is the dusty road to "Christmas Tree Pass" where some Joshua Trees are 'decorated' with some Christmas ornaments and other stuff.  Cute, but not worth a special trip.  4x4 and/or HCV recommended, the dirt gets soft and deep, the rocks occasionally stick up a little.

And some 90 miles later, we were home again.

Go to 'ThoughtsandPlaces.Org' home

Go to 'Life in 2005' Yearbook page

Go to Part 1 and see the Amargosa River in Death Valley

Go to Part 2 and see more of the Amagosa River (north) and Salt Creek

Go to Part 3 and see Death Valley Flowers

Go to Part 5 and see the first Eldorado Canyon Flowers