Gates of Lodore Trail Stop 8

Many of Dinosaur's cacti grow low to the ground.

NPS Photo/Conrad Provan

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Scenic View/Photo Spot

You might expect to see cacti in this semi desert, but unless they are in bloom, you may have to look closely to find them. Dinosaur National Monument is a “cold” desert, where temperatures can top 100°F in summer, but may plunge well below zero in the winter. Since cacti survive by storing water in their fleshy stems, they are vulnerable to subfreezing temperatures. Only a few low-growing varieties, likely to be insulated by a blanket of snow during the coldest weather, live here. In spring they show off bright yellow, pink, and red blossoms, but in other seasons watch your step because you might feel one before you see it!