Wow. Yesterday I wanted to go for a hike and headed to the Whitewater Preserve close to Palm Springs. The Whitewater River flows into dammed pools of water, which became a trout fishery for many years, but no hiking into the canyon was permitted. That is, until the Wildands Conservancy was able to buy it, saving it from becoming a housing development. The Pacific Crest Trail weaves through it and I hiked a portion of it yesterday – with no expectations of the beautiful scenery and wildflowers galore. 
Here are some photos. My hike was a reminder of why I support land trusts and other conservation efforts. (The last five are from a hike in November, when the ponds were full of birds and the mountainsides featured bighorn sheep.) Thanks to Carol Blaney for helping me id a few wildflowers.
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