Tag Archives: Rock Knob

rock knob

We’ve had frost two mornings in a row and are in for a third. This shot taken at Rock Knob yesterday is not a photo of frost but I thought the backlighting made it kind of look like there is frost. Time of day wasn’t ideal for photography but we had a blast exploring the area.

rock knob

Rock Knob is a huge pile of boulders with many strewn in the surrounding landscape. It offers spectacular views of the Superstition Mountains, the Four Peaks Wilderness area and the McDowell Mountains.

Four Peaks had had a little snow on them yesterday.
rock knob and four peaks

One of many fantastic boulder outcroppings around Rock Knob. These are looking over toward the McDowell Mountains.
boulder people

Rock Knob is in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve close to the Northeast access to Toms Thumb trail.

Matelea parvifolia

On our way back to the car after our hike at Rock Knob, I spotted a Graythorn loaded with fruit and because I never let a photo op go by, I stopped. (I could hear a heavy sign up ahead…probably saying “what now” 🙂 As I was getting ready to document the fruit, I spot a tiny vine with black flowers! Holy Cow! I’m incredibly lucky to know a botanist extraordinaire named Steve Jones and thanks to Steve, we now all know that this is a milkweed vine called Matelea parvifolia. I also found out that the flowers on this vine are typically green with a tinge of dark purple so seeing flowers this dark was special.

Metelea parvifolia - a milkweed vine
Metelea parvifolia - a milkweed vine

Flower of Matelea parvifolia appears almost black
Flower of Matelea parvifolia appears almost black

bee there


I could hear the bees buzzing “Pssst….Sunset at the Chainfruit Cholla….bee there!” so I drove out to Rock Knob again last night 🙂

(By the way, note the difference in coloring from yesterday’s image. Yesterday’s was shot in the shade which would make it bluer but not that blue! I did a terrible job of color correcting).