It's pretty normal Sonoran Desert around Roosevelt Lake. Sahauro cactus, creosote, palo verde etc. Everything was fat and sassy with plenty of rain in the last few years. Recent record runoffs from mountain snow melts have filled the lake to historic levels.

This side of the lake is ranch land. There are a couple beautiful ranches along the back road. On my way to this vista, I saw a few cows but hardly any mesquite. I thought it was unusual to see a grazed area without it.

Ranchers consider mesquite a nuisance because they consume so much water and squeeze out native grasses. Their cattle actually make the problem worse by eating the seed pods and spreading the plant.