Rabbit Ears, 8,050 ft / 2454 m, Organ Mountain - Desert Peaks National Monument, New Mexico
I have been traveling for a few days last week but I didn’t forget about my promise to post some more pictures from our recent trip through New Mexico.
We pitched our tent on the east side of the Organ Mountains in “Organ Mountains - Desert Peaks National Monument” for a few days. The campground is located just below the “Rabbit Ears”, two magnificent summits. The facility overlooks the Tularosa Basin, home to White Sands National Park and White Sands Missile Range. A stormy day with very high winds was in the forecast and we decided to hike in the mountains near the campground. This high area is home to a number of plants and tree species not seen on the desert floor. Everything looked still very clear in the morning and we were blessed with gorgeous light on the Rabbit Ears above our tent during sunrise. Later during the day the harsh light makes you think twice before you hit the shutter release button of the camera…
Ornate Tree Lizard, a morning guest at the breakfast table
Prickly Pear Cacti, yucca, agave, grasses, and shrubs dominate the desert floor below the mountains
Most wildflowers were gone already but Rabbitbrush doesn’t look bad either between the rocks in higher altitude
Bizarre trees overlook the Tularosa Basin. A sandstorm hides the details of White Sands National Park and all the military installations of the missile range that surrounds it.