Traveling with a couple people who are set on filling their National Park passport is that you end up stopping at even the smallest attraction. Passing within fourteen miles of Pipe Spring, we had to stop and see it. Although small, people do seem to enjoy it for an hour or two. We found some instant joy upon arrival simply because the cactus was in bloom.
A few of the cactus blooms.
Enter and flash and "American the Beautiful" card (or pay the fee) and take a look around. The center is the usual with a few souvenirs one could buy and a movie that is not quite ready to play right now, so we head out the back door into the yard, which is far more interesting. It is full of items from the era when the area was settled by Mormons. Poke around them a little and you notice something odd, they seem to actually be in good working order.
A couple carts in the yard. Sometimes a bit of cute is needed, even if it is just a saw horse. First dibs on the water was secured buy building a fort on it. The water flow has drastically reduced over time as well have been sunk nearby. Stable and cowboy residence. The fort, called Winsor Castle.
The tour of the fort, which was called Winsor Castle, is included with entry so it really should be taken. It allows poking around the rooms and catching some details that might not be noticed otherwise.
In the kitchen with quite a nice stove with oven and warming boxes. In the courtyard where apparently quite a bit of partying went on. In the corner beside the sign is Arizona's first telegraph. Heavy doors keep the courtyard secure.
The spring room is getting renovated, so we cannot poke around it and feel its natural "air conditioning", so the tour is a little shorter than usual. Still, we get to hear quite a few stories and see quite a few rooms. Oh, and we did enjoy ourselves for quite a while before continuing down the road.
Little River State Beach, Trinidad State Beach, Sue-meg State Park, Humboldt Lagoons State Park Redwood National Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park Introduction The California Coastal Trail (CCT) is approximately 1200 miles of interconnected public trail following the coast from Mexico to Oregon. Or at least that's the dream. Currently, the trail is about 60% complete. In more populous areas, it often takes the form of boardwalks and multi-use paths marked by the swirl of blue wave crest. In rural areas, it may be pushed to the beach when that is usable, or to the nearest public route when that is not. The crest for the CCT marks a coastal access trail at the Lost Coast Headlands. There are thoughts of a route beside the ocean, but the primary route is substantially inland along Mattole Road for now. The beach becomes impassible in several places south of here and above the high tide mark is private property. The hiking trail rout...
Six Rivers National Forest DAY 1 | DAY 2 (map link) Bluff Creek Historic Trail gets my attention as I zoom by because it is clearly signed to be visible from the road and the trail is obviously used and in good shape. Also, why is "Historic" stuck in there? (Besides the obvious, the Forest Service simply says, "Gateway to Bigfoot Country" , which doesn't seem particularly unique along the Bigfoot Scenic Byway.) It doesn't get my attention when I'm looking at a map because it just offers about 1.5 miles of connecting the highway to Slate Creek Road, a paved road that leaves the highway a short distance northeast of the trail. However, further along in the same direction and connected by an unimproved road is "Wright Place (site)" which sits next to Bluff Creek. The trail is numbered, the road is not. While it is tempting to think that an old road is bigger and therefore more likely to be passable, it doesn't really work out that wa...
Samoa Dunes State Recreation Area Click for map. I decided I would go and visit Humboldt Bay's first lighthouse. This one was set on the North Spit and was soon deemed too low, which prompted the building of a replacement up on Table Bluff . I aimed at it once before and didn't quite make it. Then I wanted to meander over to the wreck of the Milwaukee at low tide. That was only expected to be -0.4 feet and it really needs to be -2 feet (which happens in the summer) to see everything above the sand. I figured it sticks up a bit and I would see something. It isn't exactly the hills I need, but there's some sand dunes. You get to go all over them. Be aware, you are sharing them with OHVs, but it is pretty common for people to walk them as well. I followed the signs for the staging area on Bunker Road and found plenty of parking, picnicking, and why it's called Bunker Road. On the south side of the parking area is a sign marking the Samoa Dunes Wetland Trail. It...
Uncompahgre National Forest (map link) The Forest Service seems to be uncertain if it is Lake Hope or Hope Lake, but more certain that it is the Hope Lake Trail. It consistently marks the road up to the trailhead as a 4x4 road, so I parked in a turnout at the bottom and started up, getting increasingly grumpy about how it is a rather good road with a loose rock here or there. I chatted with some campers about how it was probably great all the way up, but they'd gotten to their rather brilliantly picturesque site and been sufficiently mesmerized by it not to continue on. Talking with them got me sufficiently emboldened to actually stick out my thumb at the truck that came by as I finished the chat. When you're going 5 MPH anyway, it's easy to stop, and he did. Greg was going for the hike too and actually wouldn't mind having a buddy. The road promptly turned to something it wouldn't be wise to try the Scion on. With good judgement, I probably could make it, but...
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