MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES —  Mother Nature is the best form of therapy. The sound of roaring falls and smell of blooming wildflowers. The deafening silence of freshly fallen snow on the ground. Recreate Responsibly (PDF) Not Just Yosemite But ALL Outdoor Lands Although the main attraction is Yosemite National Park, the idea of recreating responsibly shouldn’t be applied only to the ...

They say that the wildflower show around Lukens Lake can be pretty darn nice in early summer. I might have been a bit early but it is hard to imagine a more dramatic display of Shooting Stars in the meadows and along the waterways. Plenty other colorful wildflowers were doing their part to create a beautiful wildflower adventure. Where: Yosemite ...

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 ...

It was a little early for Merced River Canyon’s wildflower show but the right time to get in a good winter conditioning hike with some miles and a climb along the Merced River at Briceburg. Where: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Merced River Recreation Management AreaDistance: 10.6 miles roundtrip but you can go shorter or longerDifficulty: Moderate to StrenuousElevation Range: ...

Fireweed was the star of the wildflower show on my looped hike from Bridalveil Campground through Empire Meadows. A sea of brilliant pink with crazy billowy blooms were throughout the Empire Fire burn. Wildflowers are putting on a tremendous show right now in the meadows off of Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park and if you want to see ...

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 ...

Old dirt roads led me along the Merced River, by old mines, wildflowers, views, a singing frog and the Love Shack. Starting at Briceburg, I walked up the Burma Road switchbacks then beyond. Where: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Merced River Recreation Management AreaDistance: About 15 miles roundtrip but you can go shorter or longerDifficulty: Moderate to StrenuousElevation Range: 1,138′ ...

I love walking the same road each week in the spring, admiring the changing wildflower colors, butterflies, bugs and occasional critter. Snake tracks on the road also told me that the rattlesnakes were waking up. Last week I had spotted a few old mines on the map not far from my path and you know me, I had to check ...

I was in the mood for a good conditioning hike with some miles and a climb. 12 miles with about 2,000 elevational gain at the Merced River at Briceburg would do the trick. It was a little early for the beautiful spring wildflowers that this area is known for but I found a few early birds. Oh, and I had ...

If you want to see an explosion of wildflower colors, this is the hike for you! Some wildflowers were taller than me and some were teeny tiny. Some were quite showy and I had to look closely at some to see their amazing detail. Some even had bugs on them. Wildflowers are putting on a tremendous show right now in ...