Kestrel and Meadowlark Trail

Merced National Wildlife Refuge is one of the best places to go and take photos of birds as the refuge plays host to the largest wintering populations of Lesser Sandhill Cranes and Snow/ Ross geese along the Pacific Flyway. Each autumn more than 20,000 cranes and 60,000 arctic-nesting geese terminate their annual migrations from Alaska and Canada to make the Refuge home for six months. No matte...

Henry W. Coe State Park, northern California's largest, provides outdoor enthusiasts with over 89,000 acres of land to explore, as well as 22,000 acres of designated wilderness area. With all of this space, the outdoor adventures are seemingly endless. We recommend a multi-day backpacking trip to help cover as much ground as possible, at your own pace. If you’re looking for the easiest start t...

Upon entering Yosemite Valley National Park I made it a point to see Half Dome, El Capitan, and Washington Column and several other famous Yosemite formations. What I didn't realize was as soon as I entered The Village was that all could be seen within a 15 minute loop around the valley floor. There was plenty of space to park and obviously an abundance of trailheads to hike down. During the dr...

This trail can be started from Coe Headquarters or Hunting Hollow Trailhead. The trail from Coe HQ is 2 miles longer, almost all elevation but provides beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. These directions will be starting from Coe HQ.Follow the loop around the parking area to the backpackers parking during high season. If the park isn't busy you can park anywhere that isn't "20 minute...

If you're tired of trying and failing to get reservations for backcountry camping around the bay area, then Henry Coe State Park is the perfect place to visit. No reservations need to be made prior to the trip. All you need to do is get to the HQ on the morning of your trip, get your permits and let the rangers know where you plan to camp on each night of your trip and they'll limit the number ...

Finding rainbow pools is a little tricky, since it is off the side of a highway, but when you find it there is parking and bathrooms. There is a easy walkway to get down to the pools themselves, and trails to climb to the top to slide or jump off the rocks. Many people tend to fish up top underneath the bridge, but be careful for some slithery friends! The water is quite cold since it does come...