Good Tuesday Morning -
I think the “commodification” of some of our public lands and great American landscapes has taken some of the true nature away from these places. You can go to Arches, or Zion, see incredible things, get a few likes on your social media, and the biggest risk you might face is a sunburn or twisted ankle.
But that isn’t the true nature of these places. Just outside the sections bounded by trails, out of view of the visitor centers, these places are hard, unforgiving - and beautiful. This spot was far enough out into the scrub that I was glad it was still in the cool of the spring, and it was the only real shade of note for a very, very, long way. As we got closer, we realized we weren’t the only ones to see this - this is open range country, and cowboys are still a real thing here - and under the tree was a small fire ring, perched where the tree would provide both shade and windbreak.
Good Spot To Rest - Arizona