Badger Springs Wash is about 0.9 mile one way hike with a 101 foot elevation. This predominantly sandy trail is located within the Agua Fria National Monument, accessible right off I-17 just north of the Sunset Point rest stop. The trail leads down the Badger Springs Wash to the confluence of the Agua Fria and Big Bug creeks. One can hike up or down the creek from the wash area, but be prepared for some boulder hopping.

There are snakes! I would not worry about them unless you do not pay attention or choose to put your hands in rock crevices. On past hikes I have seen a Gila monster and a bobcat.

The wash runs between two hills. During monsoon season there is a real risk of flash flooding through the wash. In one places a hiker may see debris caught up to 30 feet on the hillsides, evidence of a recent flash flood.

I went specifically to look for small wildflowers. I found a few.

Finding butterflies, wild like this, was a really nice surprise!

Very low water level for this time of year.

There are many interesting rocks along the wash, of many colors and fissures such as this one.

Wild spring flowers are already showing up on Buckeye's desert. They are gorgeous and very small. The best way to photograph these flowers is to use a beach towel, get down on your belly and position your tripod very low to the ground. I found the flowers to be dusty and thirsty so I sprayed them before photographing them and then gave them all my leftover water at the end. I was joined by Karen and Nancy.

ISO 100, f/4, 1/800 at 100mm with Canon EOS 7D and 100mm Canon macro prime.

ISO 100, f/5, 1/500 at 100mm with Canon EOS 7D and 100mm Canon macro prime.

ISO 100, f/8, 1/320 at 100mm with Canon EOS 7D and 100mm Canon macro prime.

When I look at Nancy's photos I am inspired to photograph wildflowers differently, in addition to the way I normally capture their images. This time I was experimenting with a new 'old' lens. I picked up an 55mm Micro-NIKKOR-P-C 1:35 lens to use on my Nikon Df. I was told the glass was the sharpest macro lens Nikon has produced, maybe even better than my 105mm Nikkor macro!! So, admittedly, I had 'sharp' on my mind. But, her photos have sharp and bokeh. Oh, and the lens works very well on my Nikon D800. Only challenge is that the lens does not communicate with the camera and both setting the aperture and focus is done manually.

I did shoot with the 105mm lens as well. I think that lens is going to see some bag time.

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/1000 at 55mm with Nikon Df and 55mm Nikkor micro lens.

ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/125 at 55mm with Nikon Df and 55mm Nikkor micro lens.

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/800 at 55mm with Nikon D800 and 55mm Nikkor micro lens.

We see these itty bitty yellow dots on thin stems. I think these are buds that have not opened but am going back to check on that theory.

ISO 100, f/3.5, 1/640 at 55mm with Nikon D800 and 55mm Nikkor micro lens.

These flowers are so tiny that you really have to look closely or you don't recognize them as flowers instead of just bumps on the stem. They bloom incognito.

ISO 100, f/3.5, 1/640 at 55mm with Nikon D800 and 55mm Nikkor micro lens.

Then, there is always something that if you look closely enough you simply realize that you have no idea what it is. Well, yes, a plant of some sort. Are those fuzzy somethings something that blooms? Will keep you posted.

ISO 100, f/3.5, 1/640 at 55mm with Nikon D800 and 55mm Nikkor micro lens.

Karen was playing big time with getting the light just right on the smallest of flowers. On her second one she nailed it! She even got shadows of the pistil!

ISO 400, f/14, 1/320 at 100mm with Canon EOS 6D and 100mm Canon macro lens.

ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/640 at 100mm with Canon EOS 6D and 100mm Canon macro lens.

We had a great time and vowed to get together soon for another 'play date'. I wanted a photo of how barren the ground appears unless you are "LOOKING". Did not get one at the time but maybe this photo taken by Nancy will do. For those who shoot with me . . . it did not take long for me to figure out how to get that tripod really low. In this image I am still hand holding and my expression shows that I am not happy with the result. Thanks Nancy.