Point Lobos Loop, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, March 2022 On area maps, at least in comparison to the much larger Monterey Peninsula to the north, Point Lobos appears as little more than a minor jut – a triangular peninsula between Carmel Bay and the rest of the central California coast to the south. But …
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Cholla Cactus Garden Nature Trail, Joshua Tree National Park, January 2022 Situated in the transition zone between the Mojave and Colorado Deserts, the Cholla Cactus Garden in southern California’s Joshua Tree National Park boasts one of the area’s most impressive stands of teddy bear cholla, a species of cactus known for its attractive look that …
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Wildhorse Trail, Saguaro National Park, January 2022 Abutting the northwestern fringes of the Rincon Mountains, the Cactus Forest in Saguaro National Park’s eastern district boasts a rich diversity of plant life, including prickly pear, red barrel, and saguaro cacti and various cholla species. A network of hiking trails crisscrosses the desert ecosystem, while a subset …
Continue reading Bridal Wreath Falls & Little Wildhorse Tank Loop (Saguaro National Park, AZ)
King Canyon Trail, Saguaro National Park, January 2022 Wasson Peak (4,687') is the highest point in the Tucson Mountains, a small range of cactus-dotted heights situated just west of Arizona’s second largest city. Reaching the summit is one of the more popular hikes in Saguaro National Park’s Tucson Mountain District, but the nearly 8-mile loop …
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Cerro Este Overlook, Sunol Regional Wilderness, December 2021 Spanning 6,859 acres of the northern Diablo Range, Sunol Regional Wilderness is a hiker’s paradise close to home in the East Bay, wedged between the massif of Mission Peak (2,517’) to the west and Ohlone Wilderness and Rose Peak (3,817’) to the east. This terrific loop hike …
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Scorpion Canyon Loop Trail, Channel Islands National Park, September 2021 Scorpion Canyon is a usually dry drainage that cuts through the northeastern section of Santa Cruz Island, the largest island in California’s Channel Islands National Park. This moderate-to-strenuous hike follows the lower reaches of the canyon before rising steeply to a landscape of high chapparal …
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Potato Harbor, Channel Islands National Park, September 2021 The largest island in California and most visited destination in Channel Islands National Park, Santa Cruz Island spans more than 61,000 acres in the Pacific Ocean. Sporting only a modest visitor center, campground, and kayak company—with no restaurants, stores, or other concessions—exploring Santa Cruz Island is a …
Continue reading Cavern Point – Potato Harbor Loop (Channel Islands National Park, CA)
Deadman Canyon, Kings Canyon National Park, June 2021 Becoming increasingly well-known as a lesser-traveled alternative to the popular John Muir Trail – Pacific Crest Trail corridor, the roughly 50- to 60-mile backpacking circuit known as the Deadman Canyon Loop (a.k.a. Elizabeth Pass Loop) traverses spectacular terrain spanning both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in …
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Wildcat Peak, Tilden Regional Park, May 2021 Truly unobstructed panoramas with views in all directions are a relative rarity in the Berkeley Hills of California’s East Bay, but Wildcat Peak in Berkeley’s Tilden Regional Park offers one of them with excellent vistas of the San Francisco Bay, the Carquinez Strait, the Briones Hills, Mount Diablo, …
Continue reading Wildcat Peak via Laurel Canyon & Jewel Lake (Tilden Regional Park, CA)
The New Wave, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, May 2021 The striated sandstone formation known as “The Wave” attracts flocks of photographers and sightseers to southern Utah each day, and—given its popularity—is now limited by a permit lottery that is next-to-impossible to win. Fortunately, the characteristic undulating Navajo sandstone knobs and ruddy gulches of the …
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