aniela roth of Navajo Fish and Wildlife recruited me in mid-April for a one-day trip to Jackass Point to monitor Pediocactus. I had heard about these peculiar, evasive plants and so jumped at the chance to become familiar with them. A fast-approaching low pressure produced whitecaps in the long, slow flats above Badger Rapid; the kind of weather that makes you take notice. We did. Even before we had to chase data sheets all over the desert. The dogs enjoyed that!
We were surveying Pediocactus Bradyi, a cactus so small that we spent most of the time on our hands and knees looking…looking. Just the very top of them pokes out from the rocky soils they are rooted in. The part you can see varies from 0.5 to 3.5 cm in diameter, most often in the 1–2 cm range. You would love to see some Pediocactus. But it'll take some perseverance and luck. For one thing they are damned hard to find even when you know where to look. And they have the peculiar habit of retreating underground when it gets hot and dry, or cold, which is much of the time at Marble Canyon.
Species of Pediocactus tend to be endemics, growing in a very limited range. Pediocactus Bradyi ranges from along the Marble Canyon rim downstream of Navajo Bridge over to House Rock Valley. So they are rare; a federally listed Threatened Species. Any soil disturbance wreaks havoc on them. That's why botanists have an interest in monitoring them to see how they are doing. Is there much recruitment of new individuals? How does the rate of recruitment compare to the death rate? How much are they impacted by human activities? And so on.
Navajo Fish and Wildlife set up monitoring plots at Jackass Overlook in 1991. The plots vary in size from seven to 45 square meters. They are right next to the road used by folks that want to view Badger Rapid from above, usually with a few beers. I'm sure that folks occasionally drive over the plots without knowing the plots or the sensitive cacti are there. The plots are marked out with rebar stakes that are hard to find. We found cactus by triangulation from the rebar markers. The data collection isn't too exciting. But the scenery is fantastic and they are damned cute little buggers.
A film was shot at Jackass Overlook in 1994 and Pediocactus numbers haven't recovered from the impacts of that episode yet. The road was fenced off after filming to reduce vehicular impact. But the closure sign says nothing of why the area is closed. So, of course the fence is down and it is easy to drive right up to the edge of Jackass Overlook again. Which wouldn't be a problem except that the cactus are very site-specific in their needs and the best place for them to live is right where folks want to park and get out of their cars and then turn around to leave the area. They are survival-challenged as it is. They have a hard time reproducing since most of them don't flower. And the ones that do often abort, or if they do manage to set fruit, the fruit are often eaten by bugs or mice. I was tempted to try one myself, but Daniela would have thrown me over the cliff.
Pediocactus Bradyi will have a much better shot at survival if we choose to walk the extra couple hundred yards out to the Overlook. After scoping out Badger Rapid and Marble Canyon, take a look down around your feet. Pediocactus are bizarre. If Alice's trip in Wonderland had been a Southwestern trip, these diminutive cacti would have had a major role.

Glenn Rink