Category: National Parks

Road Trip: Part 3 – 16 miles in Pinnacles National Park – the High Peaks, Balconies Caves, and Bear Gulch

@serafinahikes

There is no better time to explore Pinnacles than early spring, after the caves cease flooding, and when all are open, which is usually only a few weeks of the year. Pinnacles National Park is located in central California, in a rural area between Paso Robles and Monterey. It tends to be warm here much of the year, so weather is a factor in deciding a good time to visit here. Other factors to consider when visiting are Condor Nesting season, which closes the High Peaks, and rain, which closes part of the Bear Gulch, along with Balconies trails. I hiked about 16 miles today, exploring all of Pinnacles in a day.

Day 1: A 30 Mile Backpacking Trip from Glacier Point

@serafinahikes

I would be backpacking 30 miles in the Sierra in Yosemite National Park. If you're wanting to backpack in the Sierra, depending on the trailhead you wish to depart from, there can be restrictions. National Parks like Yosemite don't make it that easy to obtain permits. You must reserve them online and pick them up in person. The lines to enter the park can be very long, and it's not as straightforward as one would think. I will explain how I obtained my permit, and some tricks for getting a permit for Half Dome when you're planning on backpacking in Yosemite.

Exploring Fire Island National Seashore in August

@serafinahikes

I was in Robert Moses State Park, a stretch of beach, I always wondered about. It sits on a sandbar, on Fire Island, a barrier island. Being the weekend, it is still very crowded in the parking lot, but I managed to find a spot quickly. Summertime late afternoons at the beach are when crowds generally disperse. I decided I would start with a beach walk, heading to the next town over, Kismet, before making my way to the lighthouse, located within Fire Island National Seashore.

Yosemite Waterfalls

@serafinahikes

Yosemite is a breathtaking place, made famous by people like John Muir, and documented for all the world to see by photographers such as Ansel Adams. You will want to get your camera ready, and have an extra phone battery. The journey into Yosemite begins at Tunnel View. Today we were chasing waterfalls, enjoying Yosemite in the summertime.