On rainy days, picking trails closer to home and not too far from the vehicle is a good idea.   We still want to find scenic routes and we often return to the Mesa Trail when we have less time and the weather is marginal.   We hiked from the trailhead just past the prison up to the Mesa Trail junction.   Sure enough, it rained for the second half of the 4 km hike.

Sagebrush mariposa lilies were abundant along the trail.

The trail winds down to a small valley looking west toward Kamloops Lake.

Sagebrush and grasslands extend down the hills to the river.

The rush of spring wildflowers is over by the first of July, but sweet clover and tall grasses fill in the spaces next to trails.   Saskatoons and squaw currant berries ripen and mariposas grace the trails.

sweet clover	panicles
squaw currant	mariposa

The west end trails of Kenna Cartwright Park are one of our “go-to” destinations for short hikes in marginal conditions, but even on a day of bad weather, it still a fine route.