Salt Creek

Salt Creek Interpretive Trail, Death Valley National Park, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, 1/125s, f/10, ISO: 100

Looking at this photo, it's more of an establishing shot than anything else.  I mean, if this blog was a movie or something.  What would the story be, though?

Hmmm.

It would probably have something to do with the salt creek pupfish.  They're pretty fascinating.  The salt creek pupfish are only found in this creek (although there are other species of pupfish that live in other nearby water sources) and can only be seen in the Spring when the creek is high.  Keep in mind this is Death Valley, so when we say the creek is running high what that means is it isn't completely dry.  The source of the creek's water is an underground spring, which is where the pupfish spend the bulk of their lives, as well as the year round pools that can be found upstream of the boardwalk (there's a trail you can follow and it's park ranger-approved).  As you might have guessed, the creek is salty.  The pupfish are adapted to the high salinity.  Stating the obvious, I guess.

Salt Creek Pupfish -- Salt Creek, Death Valley National Park, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm IS II, 1/1600s, f/5.6, ISO: 320

Inspired by Geogypsy's Foto Friday Fun 98, photo #6545.