National Parks Week is Here!

Get out there and take advantage of free admission to our National Parks and lands this weekend: April 19th and 20th!  In honor of National Park Week, our park lands will waive entrance fees this Saturday and Sunday.

North Fork Trail, Inyo National Forest, California

National Park Week celebrates all 401 amazing national park sites around the United States. This year's theme is "Go Wild!".  Events from Hawaiian sailing to mountain biking to wildlife talks and wildflower walks will be held at many of the national parks; to find events near you, check the event calendar.

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Glacier Trekking, Tongass National Forest, Alaska

National Parks: Free Entrance This Weekend!

All 401 U.S. National Parks are providing free admission today through Monday to honor Presidents Day.  Visit the U.S. National Park Service website to view a list of Free Entrance Days, and see the list of Participating Parks.  Get out there, explore more, and enjoy some of our national treasures!

Rainbow Falls in Inyo National Forest by XplorMor

A bit of history...  On March 1, 1872, Congress passed an act that officially established Yellowstone National Park "as a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people."  This event started a worldwide movement. And, today our planet houses more than 1200 national parks or equivalent preserves.

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Sanctuary of the Monarch Butterfly

NOW is the time to visit Monarch Grove Sanctuary.  According to the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History in Pacific Grove, California (also known as "Butterfly Town, USA"), the butterfly population is currently estimated at 14,000.  The Monarchs cluster by the hundreds into beautiful orange cascades in the pine and eucalyptus trees of the Sanctuary.  We were recently at the preserve and saw the clustered butterflies awaken and flutter about as the sun warmed the area.  A remarkable sight.

The Monarch overwintering season is from November through February.  "Overwintering" means to pass through or wait out the winter season.  The Monarchs venture to the mild climate of the Central California Coast to avoid colder weather.  They may travel up to 2000 miles in order to make this journey. A docent at the Sanctuary, explained this phenomena is unique as several generations of Monarchs have lived and died since the departure of last year's gathering, and so this generation appears without ever having been to the Sanctuary.

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XplorMor: Monarch Grove Sanctuary

California's Meeting of Land & Sea

This may be where the phrase  "California Beautiful" was coined, or at least it should be...

Drive along California's Highway 1 for any distance past the sleepy beach town of Moro Rock and you quickly realize why the California Central Coast pulls thousands of visitors from around the world.  On one side, the road winds along rugged coast with gorgeous expansive scenic views, and on the other, it bends past rolling fields and jagged mountains.  Every car turnout has a worthwhile vista; there's high cliffs covered with colorful ice-plant, whales, seals, dolphins and otters in the ocean waters, and birds gliding in cool breezes of fresh salty air.  The climate is mild, excellent for trails to be accessed year round.  And, there are numerous hiking trails up into the hills and down to the sea coves and beaches.

XplorMor Big Sur Expedition

Places of interest along the coast are numerous, and may be accessed from easy walks to lengthy climbing trails.  In fact visitors spend anywhere from four days to two weeks, and still find they haven't had enough time to see it all.  There is Lover's Point, a large rock formation protruding into Monterey Bay, only a short distance from parking.  Or for the more adventurous, the Pine Ridge Trail in Los Padres National Forest leads into the Ventana Wilderness and Santa Lucia Mountains with access to rivers, waterfalls and thermal springs. There are stands of rare, endemic Santa Lucia Firs visible at higher elevations.

Point Lobos is also a popular destination offering hiking trails along its shoreline that lead to hidden coves.  (Note: Get there early as parking is limited and this California State Natural Reserve is well known.  Also, make sure to adhere to parking signs as I watched a ranger leave tickets on unsuspecting windshields.  Really this applies to the entire coast.)  There is also Andrew Molera State Park with hikes winding along the Big Sur River, and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park with groves of Colonial Redwood Trees.  Nearby is Pfeiffer Beach with a wonderful stone arch in the sea, excellent for photographs, especially at sunset.

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XplorMor Big Sur Expedition

A Gem of the Sierras

Glacier Lodge, as described by its owner, is a gem of the Sierras.  Tucked away in Big Pine Canyon, next to Big Pine Creek, the little wood cabins of Glacier Lodge offer respite after a long day of hiking on the trails in neighboring Inyo National Forest.

XplorMor Expedition, A Stay at Glacier Lodge

The rustic charm is evident as soon as you wind up the drive to check in at the main office cabin.  There's piles of wood, for guests to have personal fires in the evening outside their cabins, and a small shop offering limited supplies, and dine out food.  They'll even deliver orders right to your cabin which after a long day hiking was much appreciated!   The friendly staff offered excellent service, and truly made every effort to accommodate our needs (thank you!).

Alternately, each cabin is equipped with a kitchen and most cooking utensils, so you may prepare your own meals.  Make sure to stop in Big Pine for groceries as there's minimal offered at the Lodge.

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XplorMor Expedition, A Stay at Glacier Lodge

Florida's Mysterious Stonehenge

XplorMor Team recently ventured to Coral Castle, described as Florida's version of Stonehenge or The Great Pyramids.  The castle is further described as being built out of the same sentiment as India's Taj Mahal: love.  But in this instance, the love was very much unrequited. And the said castle, was not so much a castle as it is a very large artistic stone creation that became a home to an eccentric man, named Edward Leedskalim.

XplorMor Expedition to Coral Castle in Florida

Edward Leedskalnin, 5 feet tall and weighing 100 lbs, miraculously built the Coral Castle by himself over a 20 year period between 1920 to 1940.  This part of Florida is composed of coral bedrock covered in certain areas with mere inches of topsoil.  At some point, and for reasons unknown, Ed decided to carve a monument of coral and dedicate it to his "love".   He began with carving furniture out of the coral, such as beds, chairs and tables.

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XplorMor Expedition to Coral Castle in Florida