November morning in the canyon...

Fall is subtle in most of the Sonoran desert; saguaros don't exactly have leaves that erupt into color. But in the riparian canyons, where cottonwoods line the creeks, there are corridors of autumn foliage to be found. 

I took my iPhone with me this morning on my run in Sabino Canyon, on the NE edge of Tucson. The cottonwoods are just beginning to turn...

The summer monsoon rains are a distant memory now, and the winter rains are still a few weeks off, so the creek has mostly dried up--but a few reflecting pools remain...

...about two-and-a-half miles into the Canyon:

...we haven't had a hard freeze yet, 

so a few summer wildflowers are still blooming:

...in the mid-morning sun, reflection of cottonwoods beneath "The Acropolis:"

There are still a few weeks left to enjoy the desert canyon autumn--the sycamore and ash haven't really begun to turn yet; most years, peak color along Sabino creek is isn't until late December.