Wednesday's storm was clearing out the first morning. Here is a view east looking over Rhyolite.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-G2pfzHf/0/XL/DSC03627-1-XL.jpg)
South of Badwater, two coyotes were operating a road block. One was laying in the road. When you stopped to look, he and a buddy would circle your car exhibiting obvious begging behavior. People are feeding these animals - very bad.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-XHbB4HB/0/XL/Coyotes-XL.jpg)
The Kaleidoscope Canyon hike is documented here.
There were a surprising number of wildflowers given the drought. Sand verbenas, primroses, and gravel ghosts were plentiful. I found only one example of my favorite - the Desert Five Spot.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-ft72nht/0/XL/DSC03823-1-XL.jpg)
The canyon was festooned with brittlebush.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-NkqFqjL/0/XL/DSC03685-1-XL.jpg)
At the canyon mouth, the hike does not look like anything special.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-BbzsDFz/0/XL/Pano3665_3669-XL.jpg)
Turn right at the next two junctions and the colors begin to come alive.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-nnxhK8k/0/XL/Pano3708_3711-XL.jpg)
The further you go, the better the canyon gets.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-hJ8HQXP/0/XL/Pano3723_3727-XL.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-8Q7d66F/0/XL/Pano3744_3747-XL.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-NHVPvnC/0/XL/DSC03793-1-XL.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-NTcfN8v/0/XL/Pano3800_3802-XL.jpg)
Nearing the end, the canyon walls look to be glowing.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-ttWGJcS/0/XL/DSC03767-1-XL.jpg)
Happy hikers bask in the beauty of the spot.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-jc4BjsX/0/XL/DSC03786-1-XL.jpg)
Knowing that rain was forecast for Friday, we continued to Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. King's Pool at Point of Rocks was full of blue pupfish.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-jbn4Vqk/0/XL/DSC03924-1-XL.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-4skZ9xC/0/XL/DSC03926-1-XL.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-dt5TdRt/0/XL/DSC03927-1-XL.jpg)
A rainy Friday was spent at Scotty's Castle, a place we would probably not otherwise visit. It was better than I expected and is worth a look. Returning from the tour, a brief break in the storm offered a nice view of the Kit Fox Hills.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/richardk.smugmug.com/Nature/Death-Valley-February-2014/i-5z7VRZG/0/XL/Pano4119_4122-XL.jpg)