Southwest Landscapes

It is recommended to have water with you. Keep extra water in your vehicle, carry it in your pack or cache it in the back country before a longer hike. Sometimes water is available in the back country. While there are many possible sources, they are not equally reliable. This chart breaks down the preferred sources for back country hydration and rates them according to their reliability and ease of use. Best sources • Open water: lakes, rivers, ponds • Seeps and springs - this method requires local knowledge Good sources • Water markers in the desert: plants that have […] See More

These are images from the Rocky Mountain Herbal CampOut program held each July in the high country near Durango in southwest Colorado. High alpine meadows are one of the destinations for the daily plant walks. Summer is short at elevations close to 11.000' and late July is the perfect time to experience the peak of the bloom.       [hr] Hawthorn berries are a tried and true cardiac tonic and one of the most commonly used remedies in Western Herbalism. They are high in flavonoids and anti-oxidants.         [hr] The bark of the wild cherry tree […] See More

A longer backpack trip that included some stormy weather and colder than normal temps. We were rewarded by scenes like this one as the storms cleared. The Grand Canyon changes by the season, day and hour.   [hr] The clearing storm, taken shortly after the previous photo. These are the types of experiences that make the challenging hikes so worthwhile.       [hr] Desert bighorn sheep are abundant in many areas of the Grand Canyon. I have seen them along the river in the 1,200' to 2,500' range and as high as just below the rim, close to 7,000'. […] See More

Scenes from some of my hiking journeys over the years in the Sonoran Desert. A view from near Usury Mountain, on the east side of Phoenix. The saguaro, with its endless combinations of arms, is one of the plants that make this desert so special. This particular cactus is one of the largest I have seen and is truly majestic. [hr] The Superstition Mountains are part of the Transition Zone in Arizona. Just slightly above the volcanic Basin and Range of the lower desert and not yet up on top of the Mogollon Rim of the high country to the […] See More

One of my NAU classes on a spring trip to Oak Creek Canyon, near Sedona. An lush riparian habitat with many deciduous trees: willow, sycamore, oak, alder, cottonwood, apple and cherry. A true botanical paradise and an area I explore often with classes.   [hr] Exploring along a drainage in the ponderosa forest at 7,000'. The extra moisture here provides wild onion, Arizona grape, bullrush and Monarda.     [hr] A student is working with prickly pear pads, making a poultice from the demulcent insides of a pad. Cooling, soothing and moistening,  good to use on sunburns. Similar to aloe […] See More

The Forager's Path School of Botanical Studies is located on the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau and serves the communities of Flagstaff, Sedona, Cottonwood and the Verde Valley. The flora-rich landscapes stretch from the Upper Sonoran Desert, along the Verde River, up through the red rocks of Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon and into the lusher ponderosa forests of the Mogollon Rim and Flagstaff. In addition to our central location in northern Arizona, we provide herbal training for the regional communities in Coconino County and Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas, Winslow, Williams, Prescott and Durango, Colorado. Explore the Region Our […] See More

Some helpful info on safety when foraging wild foods is found here. See More