Beautiful butterfly atop Enchanted Rock

I had doubts about making it to the top of Enchanted Rock. But once I mastered the zigzag ascent, it got easier.

It's only about 425 feet up.

At the top are small vernal pools, soil islands that are endangered. See the black butterfly just in front of the vegetation?

It was a black swallowtail, recently deceased. So perfect, yet so dead.

At the bottom of the trail, a snake watched us cross the walkway back to the parking lot. It was very much alive.