Mammoth Lakes: Take a hike at Devils Postpile National Monument; things to do

High Sierra: Highway 395

Take a hike at Devils Postpile National Monument

Devils Postpile National Monument  

(760) 934-2289.  Daily 7am-7pm; June-Oct only.  Shuttle bus:  $8, 3-15 $4/day.  No reservations.  

ranger station cabin at Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

welcome sign at ranger station cabin at Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

Located at 7,500-feet altitude, this 60-foot-high formation is constructed of polygonal basaltic columns formed about 100,000 years ago by quickly cooling lava.  After checking in at the rustic 1941 ranger station (it once served as a ranger residence), visitors can take a pleasant 1-mile round-trip hike through the monument, circling up to the top where you can see the symmetrical hexagonal patterns polished by glaciers.  You’ll pass several meadows, a spur path to the San Joaquin River, and an access trail leading to the Pacific Crest Trail.  The Jr. Ranger program operates here.    

trail sign at Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

trail to Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

scenic view at Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

wildflowers at Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

hexagons at the top at Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

hexagons at the top at Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

Folks we met on the trail:

people met on the trail at Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

Anthony King, from L.A., doing Pacific Crest Trail

Yotam Perlitz and Shira Akov, from Israel, doing John Muir Trail

people met on the trail at Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

Aaron Kendall, with forest service, here to help assess the Lions Fire at Lions Peak that was started by a lightning strike

people met on the trail at Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

Deanna Dulen/ranger

people met on the trail at Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

man with his dog, Buttercup

A moderately strenuous 2-mile trail leads on to 101-foot-high Rainbow Falls.  It is mostly flat, with steps leading down to the base of the falls.  A rainbow is often seen, especially at mid-day.  

Visitors must ride a mandatory shuttle bus from the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center.  Parking here is limited and fee-based.  Campsites are available nearby.  Other stops on the shuttle bus route include Agnew Meadows, Starkweather Lake, 

Agnew Meadows shuttle stop at Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

Starkweather Lake shuttle stop at Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

and Reds Meadow, which has lodging, a general store, a cafe, a pack station where you can also arrange for day rides, and hot spring-fed showers.  

Reds Meadow shuttle stop at Devils Postpile National Monument
in Mammoth Lakes, California

people relaxing at Reds Meadow shuttle stop
at Devils Postpile National Monument in Mammoth Lakes, California

More things to do in Mammoth Lakes.

More things to do in nearby Yosemite.

More ideas for exploring Northern California.

images and video ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

updated 2-8-21

Olema: Point Reyes National Seashore; things to do

1 North

Point Reyes National Seashore  

Park Headquarters on Bear Valley Rd., W of town, (415) 464-5137.  Park:  daily sunrise-sunset.  Bear Valley Visitor Center:  M-F 9-5, Sat-Sun 8-5.  Free.

Known for its beaches and hiking trails, this 71,000-acre refuge has plenty of other interesting things for visitors to do.  Point Reyes National Seashore has 147 miles of hiking trails, most of which are open to horses.  Mountain bikes are permitted on some trails, and walk-in backpacking campsites are available by reservation for a fee ((415) 663-8054).  Guided trail rides, buggy rides, hayrides, and overnight pack trips are available at nearby Five Brooks Stables.

Bear Valley Visitor Center at Point Reyes National Seashore in Olema, California
 

Many activities cluster around the Park Headquarters.  The Bear Valley Visitor Center houses a working seismograph and a variety of nature displays.  The Morgan Horse Ranch, where pack and trail animals are trained, is adjacent.  (The Morgan was the first American horse breed.)  A short unpaved path leads to Kule Loklo, a Coast Miwok Indian village that has been replicated using the same types of tools and materials as the Native Americans themselves originally used.  Two short and easy loop trails begin here.  The .5-mile self-guided Woodpecker Trail leads through forest and meadows and features interpretive signs describing plants and animals, and the .6-mile-long self-guided Earthquake Trail follows the San Andreas fault and passes a spot where the Pacific plate moved 16 feet north in about 45 seconds during the infamous 1906 earthquake.  Additionally, the popular 4.1-mile Bear Valley Trail winds through meadows, fern grottoes, and forests before ending at the ocean.

Kule Loklo Coast Miwok Indian village at Point Reyes National Seashore
in Olema, California

To reach scenic Limantour Beach, after you leave the visitors center take Bear Valley Road, turn left and drive 1.3 miles to Limantour Road and turn left (this is by a hostel).  An easy 1-mile trail leads on to Limantour Spit where Drakes Bay will be to your left and the Estero to your right.

The 1870 Point Reyes Lighthouse is about 20 miles away from headquarters, in the Inverness area.  Winds have been recorded blowing here at 133 miles per hour--the highest rate in the continental U.S.  The bottom line is that it can get mighty windy, cold, and wet at this scenic spot.  The lighthouse is reached by maneuvering 300 steps down the side of a steep, rocky cliff.  It is a popular spot in winter for viewing migrating gray whales.  Shuttle buses (fee) depart regularly then from the Drake’s Beach visitor center.

Drake's Beach offers easy beach access.  The Ken Patrick Visitor Center here has maritime history displays and a 250-gallon salt water aquarium.

car on desolate road passes cows at Point Reyes National Seashore
in Olema, California 

sign at Drakes Beach at Point Reyes National Seashore in Olema, California 

Drakes Beach at Point Reyes National Seashore in Olema, California

whale skeleton display at Ken Patrick Visitor Center at Point Reyes National Seashore
in Olema, California
 

On Tomales Point, a herd of approximately 450 elk is often seen grazing in the Tule Elk Reserve.  Found only in California and once hunted almost to extinction, these elk are descended from a group of 10 brought here in 1978.  Late summer is rutting season, when the males “bugle” to attract females.  The Historic Pierce Point Ranch is open for a self-guided tour of its buildings, including a barn, bunkhouse, and blacksmith shop.  This area is dotted with historic ranches that were once part of a Mexican land grant and that now are leased from the park.  Cows are plentiful, and it is refreshing to see them out here in the wide-open green spaces instead of stuffed into a stinky dirt feedlot.

close-up of cows at Point Reyes National Seashore in Olema, California
 

The Point Reyes National Seashore Association offers seminars and classes in natural history, environmental education, photography, and art.  To request a free catalog, call (415) 663-1200.

View the NPS Point Reyes Natuional Seashore webcam.  Positioned at the lighthouse, when the webcam shows good weather, it is generally also excellent everywhere else on the seashore.  

2020 pandemic update:  During this period when we are emerging from shutdown, we need to carefully consider activities to feed our spirit.  Always visit a destination's website to check current pandemic regulations and schedules.
          Some parts of this park are temporarily closed.  Check the website for most recent information.  I enjoyed walking the Kule Loklo trail and didn't run into anyone going or returning.  Blessedly, clean restrooms are open across from the Bear Valley visitors center.


More pandemic updates.

Things to do in nearby Point Reyes Station.

More ideas for exploring Northern California.

images c2018 and 2020 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

updated 7-4-20

Pacifica: Take a scenic hike at Mori Point; things to do

1 South

Take a scenic hike at Mori Point

Mori Point  

Free parking lot on the west side of Hwy. 1, across from Sun Valley Market; trailhead at Beach/Clarendon; part of Golden Gate National Park system.  

Map. 

Mori Point trail in Pacifica, California

The easy Mori Point hike leading to this exposed, and sometimes very windy, promontory features stunning ocean views.  Whale watching is good from mid-December through April, when you will see the California gray whale.  And in recent summers some humpback and blue whales have been spotted.

Mori Point trail in Pacifica, California

Mori Point trail in Pacifica, California

Mori Point on Mori Point trail in Pacifica, California

A cove off a short trail to the south from the point was the setting for the final scene of the 1970s cult film “Harold and Maude,” in which Harold drives his car over a cliff here.

trail to cove on Mori Point trail in Pacifica, California

On the way to the cove, you’ll see bunkers decorated with colorful murals, and in spring and summer wildflowers--including the Indian paintbrush--add color to the fields.

bunker on trail to cove on Mori Point trail in Pacifica, California

An effort is in progress to restore the area to its original landscape, as it was when the Mori dairy farm was here back in time.  (The dairy is credited with originating Monterey Jack cheese, which they referred to back then as a white Italian farm cheese.  The recipe for it was stolen from the farm by a relative named Jack, who went to . . . Monterey, and the rest is history.)  Endangered wildlife here includes the red-legged frog as well as the rare San Francisco garter snake (also dubbed the Grateful Dead snake because of its colorful skin).  The snakes like to eat the frogs and so sometimes violate the Endangered Species Act of 1973.  When returning from the Point, you can optionally take the Coastal Trail down to the pond and back to the parking lot or you can continue on into the Sharp Park area, where the town pier is.  

view of Sharp Park and pier from Mori Point trail in Pacifica, California

More things to do in Pacifica.

More ideas for exploring Northern California. 

images c2017 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Richmond: Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park; things to do + restaurant review

80 North

Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park  

1414 Harbour Way South/Cutting Blvd., (510) 232-5050.  Daily dawn-dusk.  Free. 

Visitor Center
at Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park
in Richmond, CA

Between 1941 and 1945, the four Kaiser shipyards here produced 747 ships (519 Liberty ships, 15 landing ship tanks, 142 Victory ships, 35 troop transports, 24 small Liberty ships, and 12 frigates)—more than any other location.  This unusual urban national park known as Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park is dedicated to the effort here during World War II on the civilian home front.  If you’re wondering why Richmond, the town has a deep-water harbor and a plentiful work force.  And it is interesting to know that the oldest ranger in the National Park Service— a 92-year-old woman, Betty Reid Soskin--works here.  

●Visitor Center  Daily 10-5.  Begin your visit by viewing “Home Front Heroes,” a short and extremely interesting film about Richmond during World War II.  Be sure to take a guess about what is in the Rosie lunch box at the check-in area.  Real life Rosies are sometimes available to chat with.  I had the good fortune to meet and hear stories from 90-year-old Rosie Mary Torres, who worked here as a journeyman welder from 1943 to 1945.

Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, CA

●Craneway Pavilion  

(510) 215-6000.  

Built in 1930, this immense building was originally part of the West Coast’s largest Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant.  It produced Model As.  During World War II, it was converted to assemble jeeps and Sherman tanks and to outfit military vehicles.  After the war, it went back to civilian production and closed in 1955.  Retaining its architectural integrity and offering walls of windows with expansive bay views, today Craneway Pavilion is one of the largest event spaces in the Bay Area.

A Celebration of American Rhone Wines is sometimes scheduled.  The Rhone Rangers is the leading national organization dedicated to promoting American Rhone wines. More than 90 winery members will pour.

Assemble Restaurant in Richmond, CA

●Assemble Restaurant  

(510) 215-6025.  L M-F, D W-Sat, Sat-SunBr; $$.  

Located in what was originally a boiler room, Assemble Restaurant keeps the industrial decor drama of the building’s natural bones with exposed pipes and high ceilings.  Expansive windows look out to the bay.  Produce from their Victory Garden, located on site is used in some dishes.  The menu changes regularly, but starters might include unusual spiced boiled peanuts or housemade barbecued potato chips.  The lunch menu presents items such as a wedge of iceberg lettuce with Green Goddess dressing, chicken pot pie with cheddar cheese crust, and a blackened catfish sandwich.  Dessert brings on German chocolate cake, key lime pie, and carrot cakes.  Cocktails, draft beers, and wines by the glass are available.

●Rosie the Riveter Memorial  

1401 Marina Way So., on site of Shipyard No. 2.  

Located in a waterfront park where the Kaiser Shipyards once operated, the Rosie the Riveter Memorial is a short, scenic walk along the SF BAY Trail from the visitor center.  The  sculpture depicts a hull under construction and includes Rosie images and history.  It measures 441 feet--the length of a Liberty ship--and honors American women’s labor during World War II.

Red Oak Victory Liberty Ship in Richmond, CA

●Red Oak Victory Ship  

1337 Canal Blvd., berth 6A, on site of Shipyard No. 3, (510) 237-2933.  Tu, Thurs, Sat, Sun 11-3, weather permitting.  By donation:  $10, seniors $4, under 5 $2; pancake breakfasts $6.  

This World War II transport and ammunition vessel was built in 88 days and is the only remaining Victory ship built here in the Kaiser Shipyard.  Officially a military and Merchant Marine Memorial Ship, the Red Oak Victory Liberty Ship served also in the Korean War as a cargo ship and in the Vietnam War as a mail ship.  Call ahead for a guided tour.  World War II films are shown in the evening monthly.  Fundraiser pancake breakfasts are sometimes scheduled aboard.  The thousands of new Hondas you’ll see parked in the the surrounding area are imported and transferred from this still-active port.

More things to do in Richmond.

A Rosie the Riveter story about my own family, centered on San Diego's World War II airplane factories.

More ideas for exploring Northern California. 

images ©2014 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Yosemite: bus tours; things to do

High Sierra

Yosemite bus tours  

depart from Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, (209) 372-4FUN.  Valley floor $25, 62+ $23, 5-12 $13.  Grand Tour:  $82, 62+ $69, 5-12 $46; June-Oct only. 

On the 2-hour Yosemite Valley Floor Tour, you’ll see some of the most famous sights and learn about the area’s history, geology, and plant and animal life.  Open-air trams operate from late spring through early fall; enclosed and heated motor coaches with large windows are used from late October through April. 

The all-day Grand Tour includes Glacier Point, from which you’ll enjoy a 270-degree view of the high country and a bird's-eye view of the valley 3,214 feet below.  Lunch is available at additional charge.


More things to do in Yosemite.

Things to do in nearby Mariposa.

More ideas for exploring Northern California.

Yosemite: The Ahwahnee/Majestic Yosemite Hotel; hotel review + restaurant review

High Sierra

The Ahwahnee/Majestic Yosemite Hotel  

(559) 253-5636 123 rooms; $$$+.  Some fireplaces.  Heated pool; 2 tennis courts.  Afternoon tea; restaurant; room service.  Free valet parking. 

Built in 1927 of granite blocks and concrete beams, this sedate luxury hotel is a National Historic Landmark.  The Ahwahnee/Majestic Yosemite Hotel decor includes priceless Native American baskets and oriental rugs, and interesting historic photos and artwork hang on the walls.  The grand Great Lounge, with a walk-in fireplace at either end, is a delightful to relax in under a soaring ceiling.  Some cottages are available.

The Ahwahnee Dining Room  

(209) 372-1489.  B-L M-Sat, D daily, SunBr; $-$$$.  Reservations essential for D. 

The best time to dine in the rustic splendor of this magnificent trestle-beamed-ceiling dining room is during daylight hours, when the spectacular views of the valley afforded by the 34-foot-tall leaded-glass windows can be fully enjoyed.  Sunday brunch in the Ahwahnee Dining Room is when the buffet tables groan with their bountiful offerings, is prime.  Dinner is expensive, and men are requested to wear a collared shirt and slacks, and women to dress accordingly.  Guests of the hotel get first choice at reservations, so non-guests often must settle for either an early or late seating.  Children fit in best at breakfast, brunch, or lunch.



More things to do in Yosemite.

Things to do in nearby Mariposa.

More ideas for exploring Northern California. 

images ©2014 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Yosemite: The Ansel Adams Gallery; things to do

High Sierra

The Ansel Adams Gallery 

In Yosemite Village, (209) 372-4413.  Daily 9-5. 

exterior of The Ansel Adams Gallery In Yosemite, California

Special-edition gelatin silver prints from original negatives by well-known photographer Ansel Adams are for sale here at The Ansel Adams Gallery, along with greeting cards and artworks by many other contemporary photographers and fine artists.

interior of The Ansel Adams Gallery In Yosemite, California

More things to do in Yosemite.

Things to do in nearby Mariposa.

More ideas for exploring Northern California. 
 

images ©2014 Carole Terwilliger Meyers