Whitewater River Preserve

This photo doesn't really show the scale all that well but that dry river bed is very wide and the snow-covered peak you can just see the tip of at the top left is San Gorgonio Mountain, also known locally as Mount San Gorgonio, or Old Greyback. It's the highest peak in Southern California and the Transverse Ranges at 11,503 feet. It is in the San Bernardino Mountains (from wikipedia). 


The 3.5 mile Canyon View Loop had a pretty strenuous uphill but then you got to see this view up the Whitewater River - which seems very dry right now! However, there are a few ponds near the ranger station (extra) that beautifully reflect the cliffs (where we spotted at least one big horn sheep with binoculars, and peregrines). 


Early this morning, I took Salem up the hill across the street and blundered onto these pretty Canterbury Bells. She took a sniff....