Trips or destinations that are great for viewing flora, plants and wildflowers.
Aiken Mine Road snakes through the Mojave National Preserve’s famous cinder cone field as well as providing access to some of the most unique and wonderful sights this area has to offer. On the way to see those sites, the road passes through other-worldly landscapes of basalt (dried lava) flows which are topped with Joshua […]
Have you ever heard of Anza-Borrego? Many people we know have not. With so many amazing natural places in California like Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Big Sir, Death Valley, etc., who would guess that there’s yet another scenic place to go visit and experience? The Anza-Borrego region is located in eastern San Diego County, south of […]
Back Road from Apple Valley to Big Bear using 3N14: Are you looking for a classic back road adventure in Southern California? There are several in the San Bernardino Mountains near Big Bear Lake but one road trip in particular stands out because of its Joshua-to-Pine tree scenery. This dirt road will take you from […]
The Black Mountains cover a very remote portion of the Mojave Desert northwest of Barstow and make a great one-day exploring trip. Our road trip starts on Harper Dry Lake (where Howard Hughes once tested aircraft), takes you into Black Canyon to look for petroglyphs, past an old stagecoach stop, through an area known for […]
Cactus Flats is an area in the San Bernardino Mountains just east of Big Bear Lake that lives up to its name – it’s a flat area full of cactus. The cactus they refer to, however, is not really a cactus at all. It is the iconic Joshua tree which is, technically, a member of […]
This wild collection of waterfalls and cascades east of Quebec City, in Quebec Provence, Canada, is quite an unusual attraction. High suspension bridges and overhanging decks allow for some thrilling views of the torrents below. Our visit to Sainte-Anne occurred in early October, just when the fall colors were at their prime adding more brilliance […]
The Mojave National Preserve only has a handful of paved roads into its interior and Cima Road is one of them. There are lots of things to see and do along this road and, for those who travel the I-15 between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, it can provide a nice break from what is […]
Go on a driving tour along the western half of the Denali Highway in Alaska, near the entrance to Denali National Park and see the amazing and brilliant fall colors which normally peaks in late August. Denali Highway (Hwy 8) was the original dirt road built in 1957 to access Denali National Park and Denali, […]
You’ve probably heard about the Extraterrestrial Hwy or Nevada’s state route 375 because it’s the closest road to the mysterious Area 51. A lot of people, mainly conspiracy theorists, talk about the things that go on around this road but they don’t give you any facts about it. They also rarely mention how scenic and […]
Would you like to see some of the best fall colors in all of Southwest Utah? And maybe the best fall colors in the tri-state area of Arizona/Nevada/Utah? Then head to the mountains above Cedar City, Utah, near Cedar Breaks National Monument (or as the locals call it, Cedar Breaks).
Some of the best fall colors can be found in Southern Utah. When people think of where to go to see the fall colors, they often think about visiting the states of New England or eastern Canada. But if you don’t have the time or budget to travel that far, then there is an alternate […]
Gold Butte: How to visit – What to see Ready to go on an overland adventure that is seemingly far, far away, yet close to civilization? Nevada’s newest National Monument, Gold Butte, offers a lot of wide-open desert scenery, colorful and uniquely shaped rock formations, dozens of archeological sites, and miles of back roads to […]
In the middle of the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument sits the remains of the Grand Gulch Mine. This copper/silver/lead mine is a great destination for anyone who wants to explore and enjoy the remote landscapes of the Arizona Strip just south of St. George, Utah. Along the way, you’ll see some of the high country […]
This fantastic desert hike up Hellhole Canyon to Maidenhair Falls is located not too far from Borrego Springs. Hiking this trail will take you through classic desert landscapes, pass through a wild grove of California fan palms and, after a little bit of boulder scrambling, to a pure desert miracle: a waterfall in the middle […]
There’s a sleepy little town named Lone Pine that offers such a myriad of recreational opportunities for the everyday person to enjoy, it’s amazing that it remains a quaint little town. Even more amazing is that it’s only a 2 to 4 hour drive away from a population of 22 million people – the draw […]
We’ve all heard the expression “April showers bring May flowers” but that concept doesn’t usually hold true here in our desert. By May, it’s too hot for wildflowers! One of the many great reasons for exploring our Mojave Desert is to enjoy the dazzling springtime display of wildflowers. Many people have heard of these wildflower […]
In the center of the High Desert’s Victor Valley is one of the largest riparian zones in the Mojave Desert. Known as the Mojave Narrows, it is often overlooked as a place to escape our busy, day-to-day lives and enjoy some of the nearby nature that our region has to offer.By definition, a riparian zone […]
Oso Flaco Lake is an enchanting nature area located just south of Pismo Beach along the Central Coast of California. The Oso Flaco Lake Natural Area is part of the popular Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area and the lake itself is surrounded by one of the largest coastal dune ecosystems on the west coast […]
With the creation of the new Sand to Snow National Monument on Feb 12, 2016, we decided to check out one of its access points near Yucca Valley, California. We choose to hike up Pipes Canyon near the tourist attraction of Pioneertown. This allowed us to enjoy an almost full day of hiking and the […]
Situated along one of Southern California’s most well-known highways is one of its least-known botanical gardens – Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden in Claremont. Many people who travel on Route 66 don’t even notice the little sign that marks the entrance to this botanical garden that specializes in plants from its home state of California. […]