Wildflower season has definitely arrived in the Merced River Canyon. And, it was a 15 newt day on the Hite’s Cove Trail! If you don’t feel like going the distance that I did on the Hite’s Cove Trail, the most concentrated area of poppies is within the first 1/2 mile or so. But that is also the most concentrated area ...

Wildflowers, miners, gold mines, an old railroad bed and a beautiful but deadly river all have roles in this week’s blog. Oh, and can’t forget about the geese!Where: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Merced River Recreation Management AreaDistance: 13.36 miles round trip but you can go shorter or longerDifficulty: EasyElevation Range: 1,001′ – 1,215′Elevation Total Ascent: 1,125′Date: March 7, 2022CALTOPO: ...

The first spring poppies danced in the wind for me as I hiked up Briceburg’s Burma Grade and beyond for 15 miles with a 2,340 gain, leading me to a view of El Capitan and Half Dome. Where: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Merced River Recreation Management AreaDistance: About 15 miles roundtrip but you can go shorter or longerDifficulty: Moderate ...

Dewey Point is famous for spectacular views of Yosemite’s high country but who knew we would see Merced River Canyon poppies from the trail while snowshoeing? We enjoyed one last showshoe hurrah before winter access to Badger Pass Ski Area closed for the season. Where: Yosemite National ParkDistance: 7.41 MilesDifficulty: ModerateElevational Range: 7,233′ to 7,570′Date: March 29, 2021CALTOPO: Badger Pass ...

The Merced River Canyon’s Hite’s Cove Trail has reopened just in time for a glorious poppy extravaganza. It has been 3 long years since it was closed from the Ferguson Fire. If you don’t feel like going the distance that I did, the most concentrated area of poppies is within the first 1/2 mile or so. But that is also ...

Spring has definitely sprung in the Merced River Canyon and the poppy show has begun! Hike it, bike it, drive it or find a good spot to sit in a chair and watch it. There are so many ways to view these beautiful, golden poppies. Where: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Merced River Recreation Management AreaDistance: 10.76 miles round trip but ...

We heard a rumor that some very pretty flowers were showing off on the Wawona Meadow Loop Trail, so you know where we headed. It was a short hike in cooler country and that rumor was true! Many beautiful wildflowers along the way and this one is also a good dog hike. Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: 4.21 miles Difficulty: ...

A great workout with beautiful flowers and a ton of history! This hike was right up my alley on a cooler day between raindrops. Where: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Merced River Recreation Management Area Distance: About 9 miles roundtrip to the gate but you can go shorter or longer Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous Elevation Range: 1,138′ – 2,835′ Date: ...

We were driving home from hiking the Moss Creek Trail but the day was still young, so we swung through the Briceburg area to check out the poppies along the way. This is one of those adventures that you can drive, hike, or a combination of both to enjoy beautiful spring flowers. Where: Bureau of Land Management Distance: About 5 ...

With the Hite Cove area trails closed, where could we go to check out the Merced River Canyon poppies and other colorful wildflowers? We found a nice trail with lots of yellow poppies and color combinations of all kinds represented by other wildflowers. We also discovered that the wildflowers are running a little later than they were in previous years ...