Texas Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology

Texas Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus next to a few remaining spring mountain poppies outside
the El Paso Museum of Archaeology yesterday

The contrasting bands on the the cactus stem
gives the name "rainbow" and indicate
bands of yearly growth

Yesterday, we were delighted to see spring blooms at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology on Trans Mountain Road.  There were still poppies blooming from last weekend's poppy festival, and there were also several cacti blooming.  Spring is a great time to visit the museum's desert garden.

The Texas Rainbow Hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus dasyacanthus) was a real beauty.  The "rainbow" in the name refers to the contrasting colored bands on the stem, each reflecting a year's growth.  Spines are usually numerous, overlapping and interlocking, forming a mesh that covers the green color of the stem.  Blooms appear in the spring from March to May, earlier at lower elevations and later at higher elevations. The blossoms are bee-pollinated.  They open in the morning and close at night, and last about a week.

More about the El Paso Museum of Archaeology from their website:

El Paso Museum of Archaeology

The El Paso Museum of Archaeology tells the story of the first inhabitants of the El Paso area, the greater Southwest, and northern Mexico. Dioramas and exhibits in the museum narrate and depict American Indian lives and display their material culture from the Paleoindian hunters of the Ice Age to their modern Indian descendants. The exhibits and their content are periodically changed to reflect the scope of the museum's collections and the interests of the community.

The museum's grounds include 15 acres of nature trails, outdoor exhibits, and a desert garden with more than 250 varieties of native plants. There is also a gazebo for family picnics and small group activities.

 

The Museum of Archaeology is adjacent to the National Border Patrol Museum on Trans Mountain Road, near Franklin Mountains State Park.

Little beauties you should see, surrounded by places you should visit!

These lovely rainbow cacti are nestled against the Frankin Mountains and Franklin Mountains State Park, on the grounds of the El Paso Museum of Archaeology.  The museum is right next to the National Border Patrol Museum, so that's three great places to visit in one outing in El Paso!

National Border Patrol Museum in El Paso

Visitors can can journey through the history of the U.S. Border Patrol from the beginning in the Old West, through Prohibition, World War II, into the high-tech Patrol of today at the National Border Patrol Museum in El Paso. The museum exhibits uniforms, equipment, photographs, guns, vehicles, airplanes, boats and documents depicting historical and current date sector operations throughout the United States.

To learn more, visit their website!
The Museum is located next to the El Paso Museum of Archaeology on Transmountain Road...making it easy to visit both great places on the same trip!
Thanks to Randy Mallory and the Texas Historical Museum for this photograph!

El Paso Museum of Archaeology

Located on scenic Transmountain Road in El Paso is that city's Museum of Archaeology.

The Museum tells the story of the first inhabitants of the El Paso area, the greater Southwest and northern Mexico. Exhibits like this one, reveal Native American lives from Paleoindian hunters of the Ice Age to their modern Indian descendants. The museum grounds include nature trails with native plant gardens and outdoor exhibits, and is next door to the National Border Patrol Museum.  

Thanks to Randy Mallory and the Texas Historical Commission for use of this photo!

If conditions are right: El Paso's Franklin Mountains in March

Temperatures and precipitation have to be right at certain times of the year, but if they are, March is glorious in El Paso's Franklin Mountains.  The mountainsides are yellow with poppies!  The Franklins--and Franklin Mountain State Park--are a mecca for mountain biking and hiking.  There are also two museums on the eastern edge of the mountains:  El Paso's Museum of Archaeology and the Border Patrol Museum.  Check them out!

Border Patrol Museum

At the base of Transmountain in El Paso is the National Border Patrol Museum. Visitors enjoy learning about the history of the proud men and women who protect our borders. You can learn more about the museum here and here.