Steve Bruno Photo

The desert is full of pointy things, so a good flashlight is essential when exploring at night.  Some desert plants bloom at night, such as this fruit chain cholla cactus, which is also called the jumping cholla.  While they don’t actually jump, they broken pods on the ground just need the slightest touch to attach themselves to you.  These broken chameleonlike pods, now dead and dehydrated, blend in effortlessly to the rocky ground.  Loose cactus pods don’t usually venture too far from the living plant, so avoiding them isn’t too challenging.  Rattlesnakes and scorpions like to come out at night, too.  Did I mention you want a good flashlight…..better yet, two?