View from Sotol Vista along Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. Santa Elena canyon is in the upper right of the picture, around 14 miles as a crow flies. That is the end of the scenic drive.
The sotol plant, as seen in the above foreground, is part of what makes the desert so green. It is mostly seen between 4,000 and 6,000 feet.
Top picture, Santa Elena canyon; second one, inside the entrance; third one, looking out from it.
Spotted towhee
Hermit thrush (I think, by its’ red tail)
Along the drive, there is a stop at the Sam Nail Ranch. Settlers lived here in the early 1900′s. They dug a well and planted some non-native trees. The windmill and well still spit out water every time the wind blows. There is enough water to keep the trees alive, along with some birds. I just stood still at the small puddle where the water comes out and watched birds come to it.
