Photos

The trails range from sandy to rocky throughout the trek.

 The cart train can span up to a mile or more when we're all spread out.

 This is a great picture of the terrain.  

 All water in the campsite will be carried from this fairly central water pump (which you have to pump by hand.)  

 This dog lives on the ranch and will sometimes follow the trekkers around.  He catches his own food and leaves on his own when the trekking season is over.

 Here's a great shot of the Sweetwater river.  This is the river we will be crossing.

 This is a great example of the wind we may experience on the trek.  You'll need something heavier than Cidnee Beazer to hold your tent down.

 The most prominent wildlife is antelope - they are visible from the trail most of the time.

 Smaller wildlife is also abundant and very fun to look out for.

 Parking in the campsite won't be available for more than 2 vehicles at a time so the rest of us will park in a remote lot.

 Another great example of the wind we might experience.  

 Snakes are common in the area where we're trekking but there are two main kinds.  Rattlesnakes obviously are very dangerous and need to be avoided, but these king snakes are very handy as they eat the rattlesnakes and other small vermin.  The missionaries even have a pet king snake at the visitors center that they protect from trekkers as he keeps the visitors center areas safer from rattlesnakes. 

 There are a lot of really interesting and beautiful plants in the Martin's Cove area.  Obviously sage brush is prolific but also wild varieties of mint, and all kinds of flowers.  

 This is the rock outcropping at Devils Gate.  It's a great short hike for the enthusiast that is accessible from the visitors center in case you arrive early on Thursday (only about a mile).  Devil's Gate is a landmark you can't miss from the highway.

 Seagulls are a bird I didn't expect to see at Martin's Cove but there were many of them too.

 Here in devotional facing the Cove we had a most beautiful sunset.  

 Our beloved bathrooms.  The missionaries work so hard to keep everything clean and pleasant.  They don't flush but there is hand sanitizer in each one.

 This is the hill for the woman's pull.  The sisters will pull from the turn at the bottom while the brethren watch from the top of the hill

 Rabbits are a fun animal to look for at Martin's Cove.  They are hard to sneak up on - this was as close as I could get.

If anyone has other pictures of the landscape please submit them to tynton17@gmail.com and I'll add them to our photo gallery.