The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is one of California’s many gems. Here in the xeric alpine environment, some of the oldest non-clonal living organisms thrive. The Visitor Center is located next to Schulman Grove, home to the Methuselah tree, the oldest tree alive until the discovery of one slightly older in the area.
For my 25th birthday, I took a road trip through the Eastern Sierra. Renown for its mountain views, Convict Lake ranked high on my to-visit list. Located just south of Mammoth, this was the perfect stop on my way down to Bishop.
When your friend calls you up and says let’s check out the Point Reyes Lighthouse at sunset and watch some whales, you cancel all your plans and say yes!
Google Mono Lake and the first thing you’ll see is the South Tufa. Some would argue that if there was one thing you absolutely had to do here, it’s visiting the tufa grove. Is it a must do? I’m not sure; the Black Point Fissures were pretty cool. But if you’re hard pressed for time, visiting the South Tufa will only take you about an hour or so. The hike to the crazy, alienesque tufa is short (one mile), flat, and family-friendly.
After over two years of non-stop commuting, I finally pulled the trigger and moved to San Francisco! Most of my free time thus far has been devoted to settling into the new place and trying to establish a sense of normalcy with all of my newfound time. Seriously, I went from commuting for about 4 hours every day to a 15 minute commute, if I walk extra slowly.
The boyfriend and I are not sports people; instead we hit the trails on Super Bowl Sunday, knowing that most people would be gone. Our first trail of choice since becoming San Francisco residents? Arch Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore.