Black Cotton Wood Tree

I found a bunch of black cotton wood trees hanging over the trail and over the river. The one tree I studied was an older one that had been weathered by our climate and was growing in a hillside next to the river. The occasional bird could be seen sitting on the branches. The roots grew right into the bank that was next to the river. The tree was amazing because it offered shade and cover for not only us humans while walking but animals as well. This is just one of the trees that I saw while along the river. I also saw some ponderosa pine trees that were scattered on the more elevated banks of the river.