Point Reyes National Seashore
A great place to walk just outside of busy San Francisco is Point Reyes National Seashore. Within an hour of the city, you step into open coastline, rolling hills and windswept trails that feel wonderfully removed from urban life.
This stunning stretch of California coastline was protected in 1962, when it was signed into law by John F. Kennedy in 1962. The preservation effort was driven by conservationists who recognized the rapid development threatened this landscape. This protection ensured that this peninsula would remain open and wild rather than subdivided and built over.
The walking paths range from gentle coastal strolls to dramatic cliffside hikes overlooking the Pacific. What I especially appreciate about Point Reyes is the contract. One moment we were in the pace of the city, and the next we were standing on a cliff with the ocean stretching before us.
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Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
The deep blue waters and forested mountains of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area create a peaceful landscape in northern California. Located near Redding, the park blends mountain scenery, clear lakes and remnants of California’s Gold Rush history into one setting. At the center of the park is Whiskeytown Lake, a reservoir created in the 1960s as part of the […]
Muir Woods National Monument
I have heard that visiting Muir Woods today is a different experience than it was. Reservations are required and there are timed entries in order to manage the number of people visiting the park each day. The few times I visited Muir Woods National Monument there was more flexibility. My strategy was the same: arrive before […]
Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument
On our family vacation to Las Vegas, we stepped away from the lights of the Strip and drove north into a very different kind of landscape. The desert opened up and we found ourselves walking through the layered badlands of Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument. We spent a couple of hours there, slowly wandering the […]
