Have you ever dreamed of walking through a desert canyon, discovering a stream, and then palm groves, and finally ending at a lovely waterfall? Well, maybe not that exactly, but have you ever dreamed of a hike somewhat similar to…
Walk through the Giant Sequoias in the Mariposa Grove
So you’ve seen Yosemite Valley and you’re looking for something new. Or else you’re visiting the park during the summer or fall and the famous falls aren’t falling. Whatever the reason, you’re looking for another trail that’s different from other…
Walk Across a Real Earthquake Fault Line at Carrizo Plain!
Carrizo Plain National Monument is fairly new as national monuments go. The park was established in 2001 from land in Southern California that had been a part of the Carrizo Plain Natural Area. When I visited the monument a couple…
Yosemite’s Bridal Veil Falls
This week, I’d like to touch on a hike that isn’t very long. In fact, it’s only half a mile round trip! And, the trail is paved! Still, even though it’s a short walk, it is well worth it to…
Best View in Yosemite: Artist Point
I’ve always though of two things when I hear the word “Yosemite”: lots of crowds, and waterfalls. However, in my two former trips to Yosemite Valley, I’d never gotten it through my head that it’s also very pretty. There are…
The Serengeti in the US: Saratoga Springs
In the far south-east part of Death Valley National Park is a dirt road. That’s no big surprise, as there are lots of dirt roads in this section of the park, but on this particular dirt road is another dirt…
100-Palm Tree Oasis – The Palm Bowl
In a previous post, I told about the Borrego Palm Canyon Nature Trail in Anza Borrego Desert State Park. However, you really haven’t seen a large oasis in the middle of the desert in this park unless you’ve climbed above…
High on the side of Mt. Shasta: Green Butte
I love top-of-the-world feelings. When you’re high up above everything else around you, it gives you a feeling of being so high, so free, and the views are usually quite good as well. One place in northern California that you…
How to Visit the Golden Gate for Less
For several years I’ve wanted to go to San Francisco, just so we could walk across the great Golden Gate Bridge. However, every time we thought about it, something always went wrong, and we always ended up doing something else. …
Walk Through Lava Caves at Lava Beds
For a class I took, the students were told that they’d just met a space alien who told us that we had to show it around the western US. Which attractions would you take the alien to? I’ll admit that…