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Dense forests of scrubby piñon pine, stunted by poor, dry soil, grow 6,500 ft (2,000 m) above sea level in Grand Canyon (the canyon’s highest elevation is 9,000 ft, or 2,750 m). Once every seven years they produce bumper crops of edible nuts.

Grand Canyon wildflowers include asters, sunflowers, globemallow, and Indian paintbrush. At Zion, look out for columbine, penstemon, Indian paint-brush, and many varieties of sunflowers. Death Valley has fewer species, but Panamint daisies grow in profusion.

The Nevada state flower is found up to 10,000 ft (3,000 m) above sea level and grows as tall as seven feet (2 m). The dense clusters of tiny yellow or cream flowers bloom in late summer.

Red-tailed hawks are the most common predatory birds in all three parks, but at the Grand Canyon look out for the king of the skies, the golden eagle.

Two isolated populations of desert tortoise, the Mojave and the Sonoran, are found respectively in southern Utah and in the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, and other parts of the southwest.

In Zion eastern fence lizards are among 13 local species, while chuckwallas, short-horned, and collared lizards all inhabit the Grand Canyon. Most common in Death Valley is the banded lizard.

These shy creatures roam the Grand Canyon, Zion, and the mountains around Death Valley, helping to control the small mammal populations.

The unmistakable stiff-legged jump and large ears of the mule deer distinguish it through your binoculars from its graceful relative, the white-tail deer.

Most species in the parks are harmless, but give rattlesnakes and sidewinders a wide berth.

Black bears are occasionally seen on the higher plateaus at Zion, but both they and grizzlies have long since disappeared from the Grand Canyon area, and no bears are known to live in the mountains surrounding Death Valley.