Last time, I wrote about my adventures in the High Sierras of California. Here’s the rest of the trip – including volcanoes in the Cascade Range! From Yosemite, we drove north through Sacramento and Redding and up to McCloud Falls. …
Solitude at Manchester Beach State Park
Manchester State Park, just north of Point Arena along the California Coast, is so deserted that it’s nearly been shut down – twice. But somehow it lives on, quiet and secluded, a beach with an overabundance of driftwood and excellent…
Point Reyes – Lighthouse Trail and Chimney Rock
It’s been said that Point Reyes is the second foggiest place in North America – the foggiest being somewhere in Newfoundland – so it shouldn’t have surprised me that it was foggy when we visited late one afternoon in July. …
Rustic Trail North from Glass Beach – Beautiful!
If you want a rustic, realistic coastal trail experience near Fort Bragg (or want a more natural, realistic walk from Glass Beach), I highly recommend the near-social trail that extends north from Glass Beach along the bluff tops to the…
The “Hard” Trail from Glass Beach
Two sections of trail currently strike off from Glass Beach in the town of Fort Bragg, California. After you’ve seen the glass on the beach, you might as well take the “Hard Trail” south along the top of the headlands…
Visiting Sea Glass at Glass Beach
A couple years ago, I saw a picture of beautiful sea glass with the ocean behind. The caption explained that this was Glass Beach, in Fort Bragg, California. I was disappointed to find Fort Bragg so far south, my intent…
Hiking Point Arena-Stornetta National Monument
If there is a more beautiful place on the California coast than Point Arena-Stornetta National Monument, I can’t imagine what it would look like. The trail through Point Arena-Stornetta takes day hikers through clifftop meadows of waving grasses and wildflowers…
Sneak Peak: A California Trip through Desert and Snow
Well, I just got back from a fantastic trip to California! We saw the desert, and we saw snow (lots of snow!), not to mention some truly fabulous views of mountains, cliffs, slot canyons, salt flats, and the beautiful NorCal…
Visiting Redwood’s WWII-era Klamath River Radar Station
Back in 1999, on my first visit to the Pacific Northwest, we stopped in Redwood National Park. In general, I was a bit disappointed with the park overall, but one part of the park left a lasting impression on me. …
High Bluff Overlook in Redwood National Park
While we’re on the topic of things hiding in the clouds and mist (last week I talked about hiking to Owl Point to see the clouds shifting around Mt. Hood), let’s visit a view I didn’t know existed until some…