The day started with coffee and some work, last night I kept dozing off while trying to organize photos from my blog so I did that while waiting on a load of laundry.  I headed out at mid day for a hike, deciding to explore the trails around Quail Springs.  Looking at the map and the time of day, I knew I couldn't hike everything, not even as far as the springs, so planned on a couple hours, maybe 4-5 miles with time for photos.  The reality played out a little differently.  Despite good directions and tips for staying on the trail, it was a struggle.  Often the trail runs down a wash, which is fine enough in most areas, footprints are easy to see and follow.  However in some areas the wash was compacted and showed no footprints.  There are myriad interlacing washes here, and I repeatedly had to backtrack and try other washes to find and stay on the trail.  I ended up following a trail that diverted significantly from where I intended to be, but eventually found a system of washes that I zigzagged through and succeeded in finding the trail I meant to be on.  In the process of trying to get onto the trail I wanted, I stumbled upon an area I read about, which I thought was much too far away to try to get to today: the area around an old homestead site.  There are a collection of rock slabs with engravings, as well as other finds.  So many of the cultural sites in this park, such as this one, have seen damage and vandalism, it was comforting to see this location in good condition.  Please, if you spend any time on trails in rural areas or on public lands, respect these irreplaceable treasures.  If left untouched, they can last for future generations to discover and enjoy, and will be there for you to visit again.  This applies to things as obvious as these boulders, and also to items that may seem unimportant such as rusty bed frames or tin cans.  These areas fall under federal protections, it's not only morally right to preserve them as-is, but also legally.

At this point I had to turn around in order to reach my car before the dark of night fell.  I did manage to find and stay on the road/trail I wanted.  Parts were in good shape, I presume that this was the road out to the homestead, but parts were very overgrown and/or washed away, so there were still some minor challenges.  This is why you always have a topo map and compass, and know how to use them, even when you think you're just going to follow an easy trail.  I was never lost, it was an easy, open area to navigate by the land forms, and I'm lucky to have a consistently good sense of direction.  Still, always better safe than sorry.  I made it back to my car about 30 minutes after sunset with sufficient twilight, just as I figured.  Terribly hungry, I decided to go for some pizza at Pie for the People on my way home.  With eyes even bigger than my stomach, I ordered a salad and 16" pizza, easily enough for four meals.  Not a problem since I enjoy leftovers.

Headed out on the obvious trail down the wash.

An area of compacted wash that doesn't hold on to footprints.

The first blooming sacred datura I've seen this trip.