This was my site at Yavapai Campground in the Prescott National Forest. No hook-ups, but paved and well-appointed with a beautiful view.
Thistle and I kayaked in Granite Basin Lake, a small lake near the campground.
Cormorant and Widgeon. The female looks like a Ring-necked duck.
We hiked some of the many trails around the campground. I think that's Granite Peak , but we didn't hike the trail to the top of that.
There are many boulders in the area.
It was cool, and we both enjoyed the hikes. We saw deer, but no pictures.
Granite Basin Wilderness
One day I left Thistle home and went into Prescott to kayak on Watson Lake.
It is a large lake in the "Granite Dells."
There are huge boulders and rock formations in and around the lake, making for an interesting paddle. There is also a trail around the lake.
Calm waters and reflections.
Kids of all ages love to play among the rocks.
You have to keep an eye out for boulders beneath the water too.
Just like clouds, you can begin to identify shapes, like the profile on the left.
Not sure if she's taking a picture of the geese or me.
There are multiple passageways and hidden coves to explore.
A few trees grow out on the rocks.
A pair of Northern Shovelers.
And a pair of Ring-necked Ducks.
The different colored rock shows previous water levels in the lake.
Lizards like the warm rocks.
A Common Merganser
Rocks and kayaks are good places to sit and meditate...
Lots of balancing rocks.
And where would rocks be, without Rock Wrens singing amongst them?
Always let sleeping ducks lie...
The dam at the end of the lake.
Cormorants
Exploring a secret cove...
I spotted what looks like a Geocache high on the rocks on the right.
A little hard to reach with the water level so low. I wouldn't try it.
More ducks flying in or out.
Another cove led to a portion of the hiking trail...with hikers.
A quiet place to stop and picnic, or maybe swim in the summer.
It was a delightful float.
The next day, Thistle and I headed out in search of the Salida Gulch Trail, a loop trail around Lynx Creek that I had read about. It was supposed to lead to some petroglyphs. We found Lynx Creek, but never found the trailhead.
But we did see some birds while we were looking...this Acorn Woodpecker,
And this western Scrub Jay
Can you spot the Spotted Towhee under the Manzanita Bush?
So we went back to another trailhead we had passed. This one leads to an ancient pueblo ruins.
Thistle led the way...
View from the trail...that spot of blue in the center is Lynx Lake...
Another place I could kayak? Of course we'll check it out later.
The pueblo ruins is up there.
It's a good thing they have information and a drawing of the pueblo...
Because it looks like a pile of rocks to me.
But the views were worth the climb.
From there we drove to Lynx Lake. There is a trail around the lake, so we hiked part of that.
They rent boats and canoes in the summer. Those are a bunch of cormorants on the dock.
Ruddy Ducks
A female Common Goldeneye
We ran out of time, so I didn't get back to kayak, but I know it's here...
