A Tale of Two Parks 4/17 - 4/18/15

Mueller State Park

There is a little more snow than one might expect for April but it's been that kind of spring.

The  great thing about snow is that you can see evidence of recent activity.

Here we're imagining a hawk stopped to adjust it's hold on lunch.

This one is not going to be leafing out this summer.

Even a turkey sometimes has to post hole.

New and old evidence of deer or elk.

Elk

Best ever grouping of balanced rocks.


Cheyenne Mt. State Park
Since our State Park pass is for 2 days.....

No snow here - and no people, either (must be the fee)

Black tailed prairie dog or your  common cynomys ludovicianus

t

We start on the plains

transition through the scrubs

and into the pines

Mud's the issue for turkeys here.

There's fungus

and than there's fungus

Fire mitigation