Wild Donkeys and Wildflowers

Carma pets a donkey that became friendly after an offering of carrots. 

Travel does not always have to mean going far. This year, 2026, I am doing mostly local travel. Instead of spending a huge chunk of savings on a one- or two-week trip somewhere exotic, I am spending more time in California, mainly within 100 miles of my home. 

Yesterday, we went for a Spring hike on Two Trees Trail in Box Springs Mountain Reserve. The trailhead is located at 430 Two Trees Road, Riverside CA (Maps). There is a small parking area, free. This trail gets very steep in parts. It is sandy and some steep slopes can be slippery. Wear good hiking shoes. It's a good cardio workout! The trail goes up and down hills covered with boulders and wild native plants. The wildflowers here are mostly yellow. 

The wild donkeys of Riverside are beloved, docile creatures. Some have been injured, even killed, by motorists, because they often graze near roads where people who mean well have offered them food from their car windows. DO NOT DO THAT. It causes the donkeys to lose their natural fear of traffic. Instead, go to one of the many trailheads in the area. Here is the best entry point to visit donkeys. 

If you want to pet a donkey, you are going to have to give them a reason to come near you. They really like carrots, and carrots are a healthy treat for them. I have also given them celery and apples. It works best to cut these treats into bite-size pieces. Otherwise, they take a bite and the remainder drops into the dirt. I'm sure they do not like chewing on grit any more than we do. 

The young donkeys have a hard time with big chunks. 

Although some of the donkeys will come to people, having learned that some of us share treats with them, most of them are skittish and keep a safe distance. They are in fact a wild herd. Nobody owns them. Locals love and care for them. We have street signs cautioning people to drive with care in areas they are known to wander. 

Since they have such a strong preference for carrots, next time that is the only treat I will bring. I buy a big bag of whole carrots and chop them into pieces. Next time I will do more small pieces for the young donkeys. 

After treats, some will usually stick around to be petted.

There are hundreds of trails all over southern California. November-February is the best time for desert hikes. July-September, the hottest months, is the best time for coastal hikes. March is the peak time of year for wildflowers. Please don't walk on wildflowers! Stay on the trails. We get millions of visitors from all over the world. Too many have trampled wildflowers to death. So please don't take selfies in a field of wildflowers. Keep to the groomed trails! Help us manage to keep our ecosystem healthy!

Do not feed wild creatures junk food! Processed foods have an unnatural, crazy high amount of salt and the kinds of fake fats that are bad for you and everything else. 

For birds, the best thing to offer is birdseed or raw unsalted sunflower seeds. Bread and cereals are never good for birds of any kind. 

When you see signs that say DO NOT FEED THE WILDLIFE (or any specific birds, fish, or animals that are cared for in a protected sanctuary), restrain yourself. Just don't do it. Please. Many creatures are close to extinction because of human error. Inform yourself and do what is best for the wildlife. Thank you.

September in Wildwood Canyon

Autumn in SoCal

Oak Loop Trail, Wildwood Canyon

Autumn hike, Oak Loop Trail

Deer on Oak Loop Trail

Autumn in SoCal

Autumn is different in SoCal. We do not have hills covered in trees that turn red and gold. Our colors are a unique palette of pastels and muted earth tones. Our landscape is a kind of desert. We do have sand dunes out in the middle of the Mojave Desert and in Death Valley, however, most of our sandy slopes are covered with mesquite, sage, Joshua Trees, cacti, ice plant, and other drought-tolerant native shrubs and blooming trees. 

Joshua Tree National Park

Bladder Sage (Scutellaria Mexicana)

Cholla Cactus Garden

The above purple and white paper-like balloon flowers are among the most fascinating discoveries made during a visit to the Joshua Tree National Park, west of Coachella. 

You may have heard of Coachella -- a huge, outdoor, weekend music festival held every year, attracting tens of thousands of music lovers and kids out to have a good time! Stay hydrated, my friends 😁

Closer to the southern exit/entrance of Joshua Tree National Park, which connects with Redlands Fwy I-10 and Pinto Road, is the lesser known Cholla Cactus Garden on Pinto Basin Road. 

So far, I have missed the peak blooming season in this national park! The blooms do not last long on most cacti. 

Death Valley National Park is still on my list of places to visit in the winter. Maybe next year! 

Lastly, while on the topic of winter hiking in sunny SoCal deserts, I leave you with the Slot Canyon Trail. If you roam the world in search of interesting trails through wilderness, this is a fun one! It is not too hard to find and only costs a few bucks (cash) to park. This pays for public restroom maintenance and trail management. Rain and wind loosen boulders. Hike with care! The Slot on CA-78, southwest of Borrega Springs (Maps). 

Slot Canyon Trail

Ola! Hallo! Bonjour! Hei!