Sibley Volcanic Loop (Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, CA)

Sibley Volcanic Loop, Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, March 2020 Despite being located on the Ring of Fire, it is easy to forget California’s volcanic past. Beginning roughly 8-10 million years ago, what are now the Berkeley Hills of the East Bay were the epicenter of a series of volcanic eruptions that flooded the area with …

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Cathedral Valley Loop Drive (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)

Capitol Reef National Park—a long, skinny unit comprising 378 square miles in the heart of Utah’s canyon country—can be divided conceptually into three separate districts, each with a unique flavor. Around 95 percent of visitors flock to the central Fremont River District, which includes the Highway 24 corridor and the Scenic Drive. Ambitious day hikers, …

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Upper South Desert Overlook Trail (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)

Situated 27 miles up the unpaved Hartnet Road from Utah Highway 24, the Upper South Desert Overlook is a remote viewpoint in the northwest reaches of Capitol Reef National Park. For those completing the 60-mile Cathedral Valley loop drive, Upper South Desert is often the second or third stop (after quick jaunts to the Lower …

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