It was so worth the challenging hike up to Dana Plateau. Those beautifully colored and delicate columbine blooms don’t stick around and they were at their prime. Tons of wildflowers, all different colors and sizes, bloomed for us throughout our entire hike and at all elevations. Where: Ansel Adams Wilderness Area, Inyo National Forest Distance: 6.9 Miles (5.69 miles to ...

I love to hike up the Mono Pass Trail. There is something about those views of Mono Pass, up Parker Pass and Kuna Crest that make me feel like I am on top of the world. But clouds make it extra special, casting shadows on those multi-colored mountains, changing the colors with every cloud. Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: 10.22 ...

I love to hike up to the glacial fed Conness Lakes above Saddlebag Lake. I don’t know how the colors of the lake’s waters magically change from green to turquoise to deep blue before my eyes, so magic is the best explanation I can come up with. Where: Harvey Monroe Hall Research Natural Area, Hoover Wilderness, Inyo National Forest Distance: ...

Saddlebag Lake Campground in the Tioga Pass area had just opened and I wasted no time heading up there to check out the high country. Four days of camping gave my dog Sally and me plenty of time to wander by the high lakes in the area and get some fishing in! Where: Hoover Wilderness, Inyo National Forest Distance: 9.08 ...

CALIFORNIA — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) wants to know: have you ever felt the excitement of watching your bobber suddenly jiggle, then dive out of sight? If you’re new to the sport of fishing, and not sure if you’ll enjoy it, a great opportunity awaits: CDFW offers two Free Fishing Days each year. On these days, ...

I had never hiked to the top of the Devil’s Dance Floor. I had tried but failed last year but we succeeded this year! We headed off trail and reached the top, a huge granite flat rock that looks like an aircraft carrier deck with views of Foresta, Bridalveil Fall and beyond! Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: 8.80 Miles Elevation ...

I got a sneak preview of the newly revamped Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park after it has been closed to the public since Spring of 2015. 250 acres with nearly 500 mature trees is a must see if you are visiting Yosemite. Reopening this Friday, parking at the Mariposa Grove Welcome Center and taking a shuttle up to Mariposa ...

Sally and I needed a break from weedeating and we escaped over Tioga Pass, camping along roaring Lee Vining Creek. Relaxing and reading were my goals but I walked back through history up to the Poole Hydroelectric Plant. Where: Inyo National Forest, Aspen Campground Elevation: 7,490′ Date: June 4-7, 2018 Maps: June Lake Topog Dog Friendly? Yes Sally and I headed ...

OAKHURST — The Oakhurst Branch Library has scheduled a full calendar of free events for the month of June, including special programs for writers, musicians, preschoolers, parents, book lovers, historians, adventurers, children, teens and seniors. Programs are held at the Library in the Sue Rhu Children’s Room, in the Library Community Room, and at the Oakhurst Community Center. Every Monday 3Pm ...

Some of us snowshoed, some of us hiked and all of us postholed and sank through the spring snow on our way up to beautiful frozen lakes in the Tioga Pass area with blue sky and white puffy clouds to add some sparkly to the day. Where: Yosemite National Park, Inyo National Forest Distance: 4.98 Miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation Range: ...