Upper Rae Lake, from 60 Lakes Basin Trail
The Anza-Borrego Desert Park is a good place for wildflowers, but their blooming is unpredictable. I felt fortunate to find this field of desert sunflowers made more dramatic by the approaching storm. With over 600,000 acres, the park is fun to explore; many wildflowers are a ways off the road. .
The Palouse from Steptoe Butte, Washington This former prairie in southeastern Washington state is covered with silt dunes and cultivated mainly for wheat and lentil crops. Only about 1% of the original prairie remains. In the spring, the rolling hills of wheat produce intense greens, interspersed with sections of amber stubble. Steptoe Butte rises 3,600 feet above this unique landscape, offering unlimited photographic compositions. Or just quiet appreciation.