Nights are beautiful in the desert and with daytime temperatures getting hotter it becomes a particularly lovely time to get outside.
Hiking at night has its own challenges – just like any hike be mindful of your knowledge, skills and fitness – going with people that have experience hiking at night and familiarity with the area you want to explore is an excellent idea.
While far from crowded there were a surprising number of people waiting at the Linda Vista Trailhead to watch the 9pm fireworks show at the nearby Hilton El Conquistador. On the trail the small crowd quickly disappeared and I smiled at the hikers moving up the steep trail to Pusch Peak – small white dots against the black hillside.
I worked around the trail and eventually moved a short distance off the trail to a spot with a good views – I could already see a number of fireworks shows in the distance as I setup my camera.
Between the bursts of light, experimenting with camera settings and keeping an eye out for the small spotted skunks (that visited several times…) the first part of the show was dazzling – but eventually the explosions thundering into the mountains felt excessive and after the show ended I enjoyed the peaceful hike back to the trailhead.