Though fossil records show these giants once grew naturally in many areas of the Northern Hemisphere, through climate and environmental changes they now only grow naturally in a 40-mile-wide-by-450-mile-long swath from southern Oregon to southern Monterey County, California. They are so immense, they live in three climatic zones – the base in one set of conditions, the stem in another, and the crown in another. It can be cool and moist at the base near the ground, and, in complete contrast, dry and windy at the crown. These giants, the coastal Redwoods, are the tallest known trees in the world,…

Did you know there is a Highway 1 that follows the Pacific coastline all the way from Southern California to Northern California? And you can continue driving the coast all the way to the Olympic Peninsula in northern Washington by transitioning onto 101? And that there is a Highway 1 that follows the Atlantic coast from the tip of Key West, Florida, to the Canadian border in Maine? I’ve been fascinated by these particular highways since I can remember, and the wander lust part of me had been intrigued at the idea of traveling all the way up the coast,…

The rolling landscape leading to cliffs and sharp inclines reaching down to the ocean reminded me of the Irish landscape I often saw in movies when I was growing up, or the English coastline in movies depicting Robin Hood’s return to England. That being said, there is a much wider range of habitats than just ocean coastlines in Point Reyes National Seashore. It includes estuarine areas where the fresh water from streams and rivers mixes with ocean water. This brackish water has a high biodiversity and is a productive ecosystem in and of itself. Point Reyes also encompasses grassland and…

As I was growing up I often heard mention of Lake Tahoe, whether it was in movies or from people vacationing. The beauty was touted by many, and there seemed to be a draw to the area. That stuck with me, and then I had the opportunity to pass through the area on a bus on the way home from a West Coast wedding when I was 19. My mind took a photograph of one view that stuck there, pulling me back to investigate. Wow! All these years later, the area is different than I imagined, yet just as beautiful.…

A barren textured black landscape of the Craters of the Moon National Monument turned out to be a totally fascinating place to visit, a theater showing the resilience of nature. On the sides of the lava hills, in what looks like black pea gravel, a surprise of small pink dwarf monkey flowers were popping through, naturally spaced as if purposely planted. I saw a small dinosaur-looking lizard that couldn’t have been much longer than the diameter of a quarter, and other flowers hugging the black earth. Sagebrush, limber pines and juniper also dot the landscape. I guess other shrubs like…

Driving through the Grand Tetons is a treasure in itself, even without stopping, hiking or checking out the views. The snowcapped craggy mountains create a glorious backdrop and border for the chain of alpine lakes at their feet, and the Snake River winding through the tree-lined channels adds even more beauty. Of course I had to stop, hike and breathe in the magnificent beauty. After leaving Yellowstone, I drove south through the Tetons to Jackson where I spent the night. It was later than anticipated because I spent so much time in Yellowstone. The first photo was taken on my…