Harpers Corner Trail Stop 1

Piñon pines and junipers are long lived trees.

NPS Photo/Conrad Provan

Quick Facts

Amenities

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Trailhead

While the deep canyons are the work of flowing water, high above the rivers, the land is dry. Only water-conserving plants and animals can survive up here. What do you notice about the plants? Most have small leaves, often dull colored with fuzzy or waxy surfaces. These features reduce exposure to drying winds, reflect sunlight, and hold in moisture. The open, even spacing of the trees lessens competition for groundwater. Though the piñon pine and juniper may live for hundreds of years, they rarely grow very large.

If you are here in spring or early summer, you may see wildflowers such as bluebells, gilia, and paintbrush. Please don’t pick the flowers or disturb any natural or historic features.