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Flowers & Old Trails
Returning from Nevada on our way back to Death Valley we had time for a date shake at China Ranch. Actually, I should correct that. You make time for a date shake at China Ranch. Satisfied, content, happy, we drove into the Ibex area at the south end of the National Park. The Lady loves, as do I, the wide open expansive views out here.
We were excited about how magically green it was. Flowers were coming up everywhere.
Desert Sand Verbena (Abronia villosa) at sunset.
Desert Gold (Geraea canescens)
The wildflowers were showing off the following morning at dawn. We took our time on our morning walk.
Brown-eyed Evening-Primrose (Chylismia claviformis)
Suncups - Golden Evening-Primrose (Chylismia brevipes) were abundant.
On the drive out, Desert Gold and Phacelia covered the hillsides.
I did not get a photo, but on the other side of the hills Desert Chicory (Rafinesquia neomexicana) was making a good showing.
As we traveled north we were thrilled to find that Jubilee Pass Road has just opened. At its intersection with the Harry Wade Road the flowers were reminiscent of the super bloom of 2005. Desert Sand Verbena and Desert Gold were the stand outs.
We were, of course, determined to reach that remaining Desert Guidepost. Our plan was to return to the Wet Fork Trail we had hiked in November 2025 with Deb & Steve, but continue past our stopping point and hike all the way to the location where we believed we’d find the guidepost. It would be a very long day with a serious amount of elevation loss and gain.
We parked along the road to Aguereberry Point. We left the truck at 0800. It was 34°.
Since we were familiar with the section of the Wet Fork Trail we’d hiked previously, we made quick time. First we crossed the flats and then climbed the ridge and intersected with the trail.
It was a cloudy, cold morning. We made our way down this rough faint old trail.
We arrived at our stopping point with Deb & Steve at 1000.
It had warmed enough to remove our wool shirts.The elevation here was 4293 feet. Blackwater Spring was far below at an elevation of 3240 feet. And the guidepost down in Blackwater Wash was at 2148 feet. We still had an elevation drop of 2145 feet ahead of us. And we’d be searching for remnants of this old trail below us.
It took some time to determine the route down to Blackwater Spring.
The remains of the trail were eroded by water and hard to see. But we put the pieces together and continued the drop.
Water was visible at the spring, flowing over a thick mat of algae.
There was also water seeping over cliffs below, staining the rock black, possible that this is where the name Blackwater Spring originated. The trail continued on a steep traverse to the south and entered a side canyon. We followed faint traces of trail down to and into the Wet Fork canyon.
The rubble in the wide wash was miserable as we headed down canyon toward our prize.
All this effort to visit a 120 year old sign post? Yes! It was worth it. We were thrilled. Unlike the Dry Fork, we had little cell service on this route, but we had service at the guidepost. The lady sent photos to the Online Team.
I documented this guidepost with photos.
Two bullet holes in 120 years, unfortunate but remarkably few. It is good to be a long distance away from a road.
We took a look up Dry Fork.
Returning up the Wet Fork directly from the guidepost, we found sections remaining of the old trail. This made for easier hiking. Our route was to the base of the dark pyramid where the trail turned up the side canyon.
We made two stops on our almost 4200 feet climb back to our truck, about 7 miles away.
“I’m putting it in four low,” the Lady said. I had led the first 2500 vertical feet. She took over the lead. Slow and steady works. We are so familiar with this kind of climb. But this was the reverse of climbing a mountain where the climb is the first half. We were doing the climb at the end. The Lady, in four low, walked off the trail at one point. The trail she took was actually easier to see and took us to the top of the ridge without rocky switchbacks up a gully as the trail we’d hiked before did. We stopped to confirm that this new trail “would go” and work for us. The weather was changing. The cold wind bit into our faces. Our puffy jackets, fleece hats, and gloves went on and we drank water and ate - fueled up for the final push. We reached the truck fifteen minutes before six - around 14 miles, 4200 feet of elevation loss and gain, a ten hour hike. Success! We drove back to our campsite in Telephone Canyon and enjoyed a long wonderful quiet night.
And for the end of the adventure? You guessed it. The tub whisperer had again scored an open hot tub at Benton. The next morning we had free time and another night before our date with soothing, rejuvenating, hot spring waters. We’d heard the first eight miles of the Cottonwood Marble Canyon road had just opened to the mouth of the canyon but remained closed beyond.
The Lady suggested we walk up the canyon. It had been years since we’d been up here. Hers was a great idea and we were all alone this day.
We were quickly reminded how nice the petroglyphs in the lower canyon are.
Is this depicting celebrating a kill?
There are petroglyph panels on the opposite canyon wall. It ready paid to be out of a vehicle and walking. It’s always best to walk.
We continued above the narrows and on to the confluence of Cottonwood and Marble Canyons where the two roads diverge.
It looks like the NPS had recently replaced what remained of the backing plates for the original signs - stolen/removed years ago - with new signs.
The marks from the original U bolts are still visible.
Here’s the guidepost in 2016.
Grading had just started up Marble Canyon. Cottonwood Canyon remained untouched since the flood events that took out the roads.
The storm was on us with light rain before we turned around here and headed back to the truck.
The storm cleared during our stay at Benton. It was absolutely marvelous.
The Nevada portion of this adventure is coming soon in a separate post. You’ve got a little time to dry out those boots.
