Written by Dave Hubbard — Tioga road history is fascinating! First established by the animals of the region, Indians soon followed the animal trails and eventually established “trade paths” of their own over the difficult terrain. The Sierran range provided an effective natural barrier rising to over 13,000 feet and challenging both animal and human travelers with dangerous obstacles and ...

YOSEMITE — Visitors to Yosemite National Park can revel in its natural wonders like never before through Yosemite Conservancy’s guided Outdoor Adventures involving high country camping, bird watching and backpacking, among 60 unforgettable experiences offered in 2016. “Our Outdoor Adventures are led by naturalist guides who share lifetimes of experience and insider knowledge of the park,” said Frank Dean, president ...

YOSEMITE — If you’re looking for the best thing to do in Yosemite, join a Yosemite Conservancy Outdoor Adventure. Conservancy naturalist guides have lifetimes of Yosemite experience and insider knowledge. Join them for backpacking treks, day hikes, photography workshops, bird-watching tours and discover Yosemite’s “hidden gems” with expert naturalist-guides. Yosemite Conservancy works hand-in-hand with the park to create unforgettable experiences. ...

YOSEMITE – Yosemite Conservancy is providing $15 million in support to Yosemite National Park to restore the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, protect great gray owls and rebuild spectacular hiking trails, among 34 projects being funded in 2016. “Everywhere you look in the park you can see the impact of Yosemite Conservancy grants and programs, whether that’s hiking a restored ...

We had headed over for the “Superbloom” but how can you not go to Death Valley and see more? Rugged, wildly colored canyons and mountains where miners seeked their fortunes and lonely sand dunes called to us to explore them. Many wonderful books have been written about Death Valley and I am not about to attempt to do that in this blog, ...

El Nino has helped create a “superbloom” of wildflowers in Death Valley. About every 10 years or so this rare event takes place and doesn’t last too long. I couldn’t wait to get over there and experience those yellow, pink and purple wildflowers for myself. Death Valley’s average annual rainfall is 2 inches a year, and sometimes, it gets no rain ...

YOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park invites all fourth grade students to visit the park and receive free entrance as part of the White House’s new Every Kid in a Park program. The program provides a free annual pass for fourth grade students and their families to visit more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks. Beginning today, fourth grade ...

By Monica McClanahan OAKHURST – The Oakhurst Library will host a presentation by Jack and Kay Good along with local author, Marcia Freedman, on Saturday, July 25, from 10:30am to noon. Jack and Kay Good will be talking about the Coarsegold Historical Society and Historic Museum. Coarsegold is located at the southern end of the Gold Chain where the town ...

COARSEGOLD – The popular Stage Route Tour, sponsored by the Coarsegold Historical Society, is now in its fifth year and scheduled for Saturday, Apr. 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Travel by bus from the Coarsegold Museum, 31899 Highway 41 near Lucky Lane, to Knowles and Raymond to visit the area of the quarry and the old railroad terminus.

OAKHURST – Perfecto! Starting Saturday, Nov. 15 and continuing every other weekend, two Yosemite High School students will lead a beginning Spanish class for kids at the Children’s Museum of the Sierra. Classes are 45 minutes long and run from 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. The teens who will be devoting their Saturdays to teaching are hoping to spread the ...