Get Ready to Lace Up Your Boots and Embrace Your Inner Trailblazer!
by Stefanie Michaels
Its high mountain ranges such as the Sierra Nevada, offers alpine meadows, glaciers, and rugged peaks. It’s also home to some of the tallest trees on Earth—the coastal redwoods, which can be found in the Redwood National and State Parks.
The Channel Islands, an 8 chain of islands across from Ventura, California, has unspoiled landscapes, including sea caves, cliffs, and tide pools. The surrounding waters is also a marine sanctuary, where scientists often uncover new species of marine life.
All these factors make California the perfect place for hiking and outdoor activities.
- Point Reyes National Seashore – Just a short drive north of San Francisco, Point Reyes offers hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing opportunities, such as the northern elephant seal to the small endangered Myrtle’s Silverspot butterfly.
- Mono Lake – This unique place is in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains and is known for its tufa towers—limestone formations created by the interaction of freshwater springs and alkaline lake water.
- Pinnacles National Park – This lesser-known national park is located in Central California. There’s a bevy of hiking and rock climbing ops and a chance to see the endangered California condor.
- Big Sur – This beautiful stretch of coastline along Highway 1 offers stunning views and hiking and camping opportunities. Movies such as All the Knives out, filmed in 2022, and Basic Instinct, filmed here.
- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park – This desert park in Southern California offers hiking, camping, and a chance to see the famous “desert wildflowers” in the spring. Walk through fighting metal dinosaurs and sea creature art installations into a place of sandy landscapes and sun most days of the year. It’s also away from city lights, lending it a fantastic place to stargaze.
- The Channel Islands – This of eight island chain sits off the coast of Southern California, boasting rugged, unspoiled landscapes, including sea caves, cliffs, and tide pools. These islands are only accessible by boat. It’s a truly remote and wilderness hiking experience.
TIP: Before you head out on your adventures, make sure you’ve got updated and supportive hiking gear, water bottles and then check out the National Parks system for additional tips and information.
EXTRA TIP: Visitors can now get free entry to California State Parks via local library cards.
A little info:
Myrtle’s Silverspot butterfly is found in the western coastal regions of North America. It is known for its distinctive silver spots on its wings’ underside and orange and black coloring on the upper side.
This species is considered endangered due to habitat loss and degradation. The Myrtle’s Silverspot relies on specific host plants, such as the early blue violet, for survival and reproduction.
Conservation efforts are underway to protect and restore critical habitat for this species, including controlled burns, planting of host plants, and monitoring of populations.
The survival of Myrtle’s Silverspot butterfly is crucial as it plays a role in the ecosystem as a pollinator and as a food source for other species.
Did you know?
A USA National Park Pass, also known as the America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, offers the following benefits:
- Unlimited access: The pass provides entry to over 2,000 federal recreation sites, including all national parks, wildlife refuges, and forests.
- Cost savings: The pass is an economical option for individuals or families who plan to visit several national parks in a year.
- Convenience: The pass eliminates the need to pay park entrance fees every time you visit a federal recreation site.
- Support of national parks: The funds generated from the sale of the National Park Pass help maintain and preserve the national parks for future generations.
The National Park Pass is an excellent option for those who love the outdoors and want to experience the beauty of America’s national parks. It offers unlimited access to many of the country’s most stunning natural areas, cost savings, and the satisfaction of supporting their preservation.
