Tag: California

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Nature

The Joshua Tree really isn’t a tree at all, it is a Yucca plant. Legend has it that it was named by Mormon settlers coming through the region after a biblical story.

Regardless of it’s name it is an amazing plant, set in a great desert landscape.

Joshua Tree National Park covers a vast area of Southern California (795,000 acres). It grows in the higher elevations of the Mojave Desert, while the park itself drops down to a much lower elevation in what is the edge of the Sonoran Desert, where you will find cholla’s.

Death Valley, California

Nature

While Death Valley is famous for it’s heat, it is also the home to the lowest elevation in North America.

The terrain and geology however, is very diverse throughout the park, providing many interesting views.

Amazingly, although some would say foolishly, there is a golf course.

Sunset in the desert is always special.

Lone Pine, California – Alabama Hills

Nature, Transportation, Water Features

If you are a western movie fan you have no doubt seen Alabama Hills. For more than 100 years Hollywood has trekked out to the unique setting for filming.

There are two types of rocks at Alabama Hills, metamorphosed volcanic and biotite monzogranite.

The camper below shows just how large these rocks are.

Alabama Hills sits at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, with Mt Whitney directly behind them – towering more than 13,000 higher than the valley floor.

The view back down on Alabama Hills from Whitney Portal Road is fantastic.

Erosion has lead to all sorts of great shapes.

It’s time to head them off at the pass…..

Mendocino County, California – Views Along The Coast

Nature, Water Features

The Mendocino Coast is a very scenic area of the Pacific Coast.

In the town of Fort Bragg is the Glass Beach. This area served as a dump for the town from 1949 until 1967. The state of California cleaned up much of the metal and other materials from the beach, leaving the glass and pottery pieces to be pounded by the surf for decades until it ended up as very nice pieces.

The kelp on the beach looks like some alien lifeform.

Tide pools are present as well.

Continuing north of California 1 is very scenic.

Eventually California 1 pulls away from the coast, at times going through tree tunnels.

The Mendocino Coast is some of the most scenic in the state.

Point Arena, California – Light At The End of the Peninsula

History, Nature

Point Arena is located about 130 miles north of San Francisco. It juts out into the ocean for about 1/2 mile, situated high up on cliffs. There has been a lighthouse here since 1870.

The Point Arena Stornetta Public Lands lie just south of the lighthouse. The area offer great views of the coast and Sea Lion Rocks.

The rocks just offshore have amazing coloring and patterns.

It is always amazing to see cow fields located directly on the coast.

The area provides safe shelter for not only marine life, but numerous birds.

Sonoma County, California – Stillwater Cove Park

Nature, Water Features

As noted previously most of the National Parks and State Parks in California are not dog friendly. Fortunately Sonoma County has a beautiful park located along the coast that is.

Stillwater Cove Park, while situated on the coast, goes inland up a canyon covered in massive redwood trees, ferns and other vegetation.

A number of the trees have lichen growing on them.

Some of the trees have evidence of very uniformly spaced branches that grew out of them.

The undergrowth and downed trees added to the jungle feel of the hike, giving it a Jurassic Park vibe.

The small creek was passable at a few spots.

Ferns were everywhere.

The hike ended up at the small cove on the ocean where Teddy and Pearl enjoyed the unique setting, far different than their normal Arizona terrain.