A trip around the 5 mile long Saratoga Gap Loop Trail in Castle Rock State Park. This trail goes through woods, past wind carved rocks, through Chapparal plants, up to the Ridge Trail, an overlook, and Goat Rock before winding back down through the rocks to the woods and back to the parking lot. This is not a difficult hike but not an easy stroll either. The trail from Goat Rock back to the parking lot has areas where some rock scrambling is necessary.
Videos and Slide Shows of various Northern California Parks and Open Space Preserves
This video provides a quick tour to a number of features of the Monterey Bay Acquarium on Cannery Row. The unique Kelp Forest, Sharks, Tuna, schools of fish, Rock fish, and other species are shown. A last look at the Jelly fish display is included along with views of artwork in glass depicting these interesting creatures.
Mariposa Grove of Big Trees is near the Southwest entrance to Yosemite National Park. Some of the largest and oldest trees on Earth are found here. Well worth a short hike.
The trailhead to Half Dome, Vernal and Nevada Falls, and back country trails such as Little Yosemite Valley, Happy Isles marks the start / end of the John Muir trail. There is a nice Nature Center, bus stop, bathrooms, and wheel chair accessible trails with views of the Merced River, Trees, Rocks, Domes, and cliffs. Well worth stopping by for a few minutes while in Yosemite Valley.
A quick tour of Mariposa, CA on Hwy 140 near Yosemite. Art Park. Walkway along the Creek. A view of Main Street (Hwy 140) some restaurants a bookstore and other shops.
Trails near the entrance to Henry Cowell State Park near Felton, California.
The oldest city park in California, Alum Rock Park is located in a narrow valley east of San Jose. It consists of Penitencia Creek, steep hillside trails, grassy picnic areas, birds, flowers, deer, squirrels, wild turkeys, and presents views of the Santa Clara Valley and San Francisco Bay. A great place to spend an hour or a day.
South of Hollister on Hwy 25 in Central California is the Eastern Unit of Pinnacles National Monument. Condor Gulch Trail leads up to High Peaks Trail which is the primary location in this park where the California Condor is frequently seen soaring above the rocks and cliffs of the Pinnacles unique rock formations. My daughter and I arrived late in the day so we only went about half way to the high peaks to the Condor Gulch Overlook before returning to the valley below. Still it was a very nice hike despite never seeing the Condors. In Spring there are wildflowers and Turkey Vultures and the colorful rocks which make up the Pinnacles.
Take a trip on a steam train through the Redwoods near Henry Cowell State Park at Roaring Camp which is just south of Felton, CA on Hwy 9.
Along West Cliff Drive near the Lighthouse Point surfers congregate to surf the Steamers. I caught a July day when the waves appear to be 8-10 feet high. Surf, Sail, an Otter, Lighthouse Point, 'love birds', Seal Rock are all here.
A trip around the 5 mile long Saratoga Gap Loop Trail in Castle Rock State Park. This trail goes through woods, past wind carved rocks, through Chapparal plants, up to the Ridge Trail, an overlook, and Goat Rock before winding back down through the rocks to the woods and back to the parking lot. This is not a difficult hike but not an easy stroll either. The trail from Goat Rock back to the parking lot has areas where some rock scrambling is necessary.
A tour around Alum Rock Park, California's oldest city park, located in the East Hills of San Jose, California.
Some wildflowers displayed near the Nature Center building at Don Edwards Preserve near Alviso, CA. Kids on a field trip. April 2008
This Open Space area is just north of Woodside Road along Skyline Blvd above Palo Alto on the SF Peninsula. Nice Trails, flowers, woods, views of Half Moon Bay and the coastal range.
Quail are really social birds. They live in small family groups called 'coveys'. The parents really work hard to keep the children safe, and it is touching to observe them watching over the young.
Mt Hamilton with its observatory is a prominent feature on the mountains East of San Jose. It is a common destination for cyclists and bikers because of the long, winding road leading up to it and the facility itself. Many, however, have never gone down the 'other side of the mountain' to the San Antonio Valley. This video shows just a little of what can be found there.
Morro Bay, on the Central Coast of California
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