desert in bloom

We recently got back from a long weekend in Moab - which was wonderful, as usual.  In the past we've gone down there in the summer/fall and while we haven't given that up yet, we wanted to experience it in the springtime as well.  Some of the differences we noticed between the seasons: in the spring, we got cooler temperatures - as in, it pretty much snowed in the LaSals the whole time we were down there this time - and a better chance of iffy weather; the creeks and Colorado River were all quite high and moving quickly; a few bugs, gnats mostly; less sandy MTB trails. 

One big difference, and one that I had been hoping for, was the fact that the desert was in bloom: lots and lots of flowers.  Here are a sampling of what we saw (hopefully identified correctly - if I've gotten any of them wrong, PLEASE let me know in the comments):

 

Prince's Plume

Fragrant Evening Primrose

Harriman's Yucca

Flowering cactus - possibly prickly pear?

Another flowering cactus - possibly prickly pear?

Woolly locoweed

Eaton's Penstemon

Another kind of primrose (?) 

Blackbrush

Claretcup - spectacular in person

Hopi Blanket Flowers, maybe (?)

Purple Asters