I just returned from Utah with an unexpected adventure full of scarecrows! Why were so many scarecrows congregated in one place? Some were resting under a tree and some were showing off in full sun. Some were scary scarecrows. Some were cute scarecrows and some were just plain silly scarecrows. Each scarecrow was definitely unique. Who knew that scarecrows were ...

OAKHURST – Under clear blue skies, the Oakhurst Fall Festival had people from all over out and about last weekend, enjoying arts and crafts, food and beverages, kids activities, exciting carnival rides and plenty of entertainment. The weather was cooperative, with warm days and cool star-studded nights to climb aboard the Ferris wheel, and take in the other midway rides. ...

YOSEMITE — Over the past 20 years, Yosemite National Park officials have achieved notable results in their work to protect bears by reducing the number of incidents between bears and humans. Compared to statistics at this point in 2017 — the lowest year on record — bear incidents in 2018 are down by 50 percent and damage amounts (in dollars) ...

I explored high places by horseback in Utah, looking out for miles and miles at amazing views showcasing the San Rafael Swell, Capitol Reef National Park and Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument. We rode around parts of Boulder Mountain, the largest and highest plateau that is part of the Colorado Plateau. Those rides took us through stands of large aspens, spruce, ...

COARSEGOLD – Native American culture will flourish this weekend at the Coarsegold Historic Village, as the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians kicks off its 2018 Pow Wow in a celebration of song and dance with the theme, “Unity for the Future.” Presented by The Fresno Grizzlies and Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino, the Tribe’s largest cultural event of the ...

RAYMOND – The building in the photograph burned in the early 1990s in Knowles and was a boarding house for many granite quarry workers over the years. But our History Mystery is not about the building but concerns the two stone bears crouched along either side of the stairs leading to the porch. The two bears, which some folks think ...

They call this hike the Twenty Lakes Basin Hike and my dog Sally and I visited 13 of them on this day. And yes, I am counting every little tarn and separate little inlet as lakes but there are even more that you could cover in this hike if you tried and if you do the hike in early spring, ...

OAKHURST – Visit Yosemite | Madera County once again partners with the art community of Oakhurst to present ARTober in Oakhurst, a month dedicated to celebrating arts and culture throughout the area. ARTober encourages collaboration and participation from artists, musicians, writers, venues, foodies, and others to showcase all things arts and culture. The events are designed to encourage people to ...

OAKHURST — You may notice things around town looking a little more spooktacular than usual this time of year. That’s because the fine folks at Branches Books & Gifts have once again invited the community to participate in the month-long, annual Oakhurst Scarecrow Contest running through October right up to Halloween on the 31st. The friendly competition is open to all — ...

Colorful uplifted ancient canyons and mountains that used to be rivers, swamps, deserts and oceans make up Capitol Reef National Park. As I rounded every bend of the trail, it revealed a slice of geologic history through millions of years. It also revealed beauty unlike anything I had seen. Where: Capitol Reef National Park Distance: 10.49 Miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation ...