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California National Parks

Channel Islands National Park

5/29/1999 Drove to harbor and checked in at Island Packers at 7:30. Got on a smaller boat (~25 people) and headed out in overcast skies, good size swells. A little over an hour to East Anacapa Island in the Channel Islands NP chain. Hung out on one side looking at seals and birds, then backed into a ladder in a high, vertical cliff cove and got out. Climbed 150 steps up the cliff to the NPS building area. Took a nice walk around the island seeing many nesting gulls, some with eggs, some with babies. Nice views over steep cliffs. Back to NPS area for lunch we had brought, then a walk up to the lighthouse. Back to the boat for the trip back. On the way back, joined up with a huge pod of dolphins that were surfing along right under the boat where we were standing – really great!

The park sign

Some of the locals ...

... and locals-to-be

Me and the lighthouse

Great view

Joshua Tree National Park

5/25/1996 Drove down I10 to south entrance station of Joshua Tree National Park. Drove north through the park, stopping here and there. Very interesting desert park, with Yucca, Cholla and Joshua Trees the most interesting.

The park sign

An interesting landscape

Joshua Trees

Kings Canyon National Park

5/27/1999 ... then on into Kings Canyon NP. Drove to the Grant Grove, and took another trail around trees and fallen logs. Time to hit the road ... .

Grant Grove

Nice vista

Lassen Volcanic National Park

8/19-23/1985 Continued to Lassen Volcano National Park - walked trails to bubbling mud, saw beautiful views of mountain.

Lake reflection of the volcano ...

... and one from a meadow area

What a view!

The Bumpass Hell area

Steamy flow ...

... and rising clouds

Pinnacles National Park

11/16/1996 Drove down to west side of Pinnacles National Monument. After 10 miles down steep, winding road 1 1/2 lanes wide, hit end. Nice views of pinnacles, although starting to rain a bit. Took a short walk collecting rocks.

The park sign (when it was a Monument)

The eponymous pinnacles

Maureen by some interpretive signage

Redwood National Park

9/9/1988 Drove ... down through Redwood National Park. Stopped at visitor center, took 5 minute trail in woods.

These trees are amazing

Me and a giant

Sequoia National Park

5/27/1999 Drove up north, then east into Sequoia NP. Initial roads into park are incredibly steep, winding switchbacks up the mountains. Weather is great. Stopped at the visitor center, then into the Sequoia groves. Parked the car on an old fallen dead tree, and drove through a tunnel in another. Had a nice picnic lunch of bread, cheese and dried fruit. Walked a nice trail through the trees (Sequoias are tremendous!), then up stairs and switchbacks up a huge rock formation on a mountainside. A tough climb, but the payoff was a great 360 degree view of the Sierra Nevada range. Continued along the road to the General Sherman Sequoia, the world's largest living thing. Magnificent! From here to another visitor center/village for shopping and ice cream ... .

A nice view of the Sierras

A tree tunnel

I look tiny

Snow-capped beauty

General Sherman

The General and me

Yosemite National Park

6/3-9/1985 Also went to Yosemite NP alone.

Upper Yosemite Falls

Ribbon Falls

Another falls shot

El Capitan

9/12/1988 Toured Yosemite NP valley, upper Yosemite Park.

The Three Brothers

El Capitan

Half Dome

One of the smaller pretty sights

10/29/1991 Drove east to Yosemite NP. On way through pass to valley, lots of heavy fog with snow on the ground. In valley, beautiful views with clouds/fog on top of formations, light rain occasionally. Stopped at visitor center and Indian museum and lunch. Drove around loop a few times - stopped at Lower Yosemite Falls (nice!), pulled over on road for deer pictures (a few bucks eating) and rainbow pictures, ended up at Bridal Veil Falls [included Merced WSR].

Lunch time for the deer

Mountins disappearing into the clouds ...

... and falls coming out

One benefit of a cloudy day