The floor of Sycamore Canyon hosts a lush, green riparian habitat as seen in this view looking north up the canyon at the start of the hike.
Looking down into the greenery of the canyon.
The rich green of the canyon floor contrasts sharply with the dry hot dry canyon walls.
On this hike we'll follow the Parson's Trail along Sycamore Creek to Parson's Spring.
Several large Cottonwoods (Populus fremontii) line the trail.
Close up of the bark of a Cottonwood.
Peering through the cottonwoods to the red cliffs beyond.
Trailing Four O'Clock (Allionia incarnata) with it's leaves covered in layer of dirt from the dusty trail. At first glance this looks like a single flower, but look closely any you'll notice that it is actually composed of three flowers.
Catkins of Velvet Mesquite (Prosopis velutina).
Wait-A-Minute Bush (Mimosa biuncifera) also known as cat claw for its claw like thorns.
Lots of Canyon Grape (Vitis arizonica) vines were seen along the trail.
A hunk a basalt.
Summers Spring, one of two springs that feed into Sycamore Creek.
A blue California Dancer Damselfly (Argia agrioides) rests on a plant at Summers Spring.
Yellow Columbine and other water loving plants line the banks near Summers Spring.
The source of Summers Srping.
Sycamore Creek.
Sycamore Creek.
Cliffs of columnar basalt.
Swallow nests on an overhanging cliff.
A large Ornate Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus) sunning on a rock and giving me the "evil eye".
The Parsons Trail follows along a rock ledge.
Parsons Trail traverses a rock ledge above a pool in Sycamore Creek.
The trails passes right up against tall canyon walls in the shade of a Boxelder (Acer negundo) tree.
Somehow this Arizona Sycamore is still alive and standing.
The trail passes above this large muddy pool in Sycamore Creek along a rock ledge.
Looking upstream at the "green waters" at one of several creek crossing.
A trio of Parry's Agave (Agave parryi) stalks reach for the sky.
Parry's Agave stalks towering over the surrounding vegetation.
The red buds of this Parry's Agave are just beginning to open to reveal yellow flowers.
Parry's Agave.
Interesting patterns on the limb of this juniper.
Large red boulders lining at a crossing of Sycamore Creek
A thick carpet of White Watercress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum) floating in the creek.
Seeing green! Just below Parsons Spring we came across this large pool completely covered with a green aquatic plant or algae and a thick green canopy of trees above.
Green shady pool.
Another green pool.
Sycamore Creek.
Red cliff walls of Sycamore Canyon.
Clark's Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus clarkii) hanging out on a juniper trunk.
The green of the canyon just as the trail starts its climb back to the trailhead.