Our Seasons

Each season brings a different feel to our desert.  In fall the summer heat dials back and animals that were dormant during the summer come out to forage. Birds stop to refuel on their migration south.  

Winters are mild even though nights can drop to freezing. With 40 swings in temperature, the days warm as the sun rises.  Winter rains rarely turn to snow. Late fall and winter are the seasons to hike and explore all day.  

Each spring is wonderfully unpredictable.  The colors of the floral show are totally dependent on when and how much rain, wind, or sun there is. No year is ever the same.  Bushes and shrubs come out of dormancy, annual seeds sprout, and animals become active again.  Huge numbers of birds migrate through.  Details in the landscape often change from one week to the next.  

As summer temperatures rise, the desert goes back to sleep.  Due to low humidity, mornings are usually cool.  Noontime and afternoon temperatures can rise into the 100s but always give way to pleasant evenings.  As the sun slips away, silken breezes cool.  The starry nights seem endless.  Find a spot away from lights and look for constellations and satellites orbiting overhead.