Still thinking about our visit to Gold Creek yesterday, we decided to return. The temperature was a perfect 76º this morning with gentle cooling breezes. On the way to Gold Creek a herd of four Mule Deer stopped to show us their huge ears and get their pictures taken.
Yesterday, when we left Gold Creek we felt that there was more to be seen and we were right. We gathered more rocks for our garden and trekked further up the mostly dry creek than we had yesterday. The scenery was absolutely beautiful. Wildflowers were growing in abundance everywhere. As we proceeded, the canyon began to narrow until the creek became a desert oasis. A still pool of water was home to frogs, tadpoles and water bugs. Above the pool, water trickled down over the rocks from another pool behind it, forming a waterfall. We couldn't go any further, the sheer rock walls blocked our way. There appeared to be a grotto under the large boulder forming the waterfall. It was a serene, peaceful place, a nice spot to pause and rest to enjoy the magical surroundings. On the way back to the Jeep we spotted a large Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly who was happy to pose for a picture while he sipped nectar from a Thistle flower. We didn't find Gold in Gold Creek, but the treasures we saw were far more priceless.
