Category: National Monuments

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Share Your National Parks Story: NPCA Wants Yours

If you love our National Parks, take the time this summer to do something to make sure that the remain a part of future generation lives. With the constant budget battles being waged in Washington DC, it’s important to let Congress know what the National Parks mean to us as a nation. The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) wants to pass your National Parks messages onto the members of Congress and they are asking for your help.

Chaos Crags reflected in Manzanita Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park

When you visit a National Park this summer (you can start on June 21 when it’s a Free National Parks day), take your camera or video recorder along to document your visit. Then send the NPCA your photos, videos and stories about why National Parks are important to you to [email protected]. The NPCA will be posting select images they receive to the National Parks Protection Project website and passing them onto those in Congress.

In order for National Parks to remain funded, it’s essential for Congress to know that the people that visit them view them as an important part of our history and culture. Your photos, videos and personal stories are an important way to show Congress why America’s natural and cultural heritage should continue to be protected for future generations. For places that give so much to our lives, please consider sharing your story to help ensure that others can have the same experiences decades from now.

You can also lend your voice by signing a petition telling Congress to stop cuts to the national Parks budget.

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Trinidad State Beach California

While Trinidad state beach is a bit difficult to find (once you exit and head into the town of Trinidad, the main road will first curve 90 degrees right and then a little later 90 degrees left — toward the coastline. Instead of following the main road and turning left, you want to make another right down a one lane road to find the entrance to Trinidad state beach). Once you reach the parking area, there are a lot of picnic tables and a wonderful view of the beach below. The many rock outcroppings in the ocean making them part of the California Coast National Monument:

The view overlooking the beach at Trinidad State beach in California

It is a about a quarter mile hike down to Trinidad state beach along a narrow dirt path.

beach level at Trinidad state beach in northern California

It was extremely windy while I was there making the view and picnic are much more comfortable than the beach (there were trees that blocked the wind up there), but I don’t know if that is a regular occurrence or not. It was a fun beach to explore with all the different rock outcroppings.

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California Coastal National Monument

I’ve looked at one of our National Monuments hundreds of times and never even realised it. If you have ever been along the California coast, there is a good chance that you have seen this national monument as well. The California Coastal National Monument, as it name implies, spans the entire coast of California and was established on January 11, 2000. It compromises more than 20,000 small islands, rocks, exposed reefs and pinnacles located off the 1,100 miles of the California coastline.

I would not have even realised I was enjoying the scenery that this National Monument provided except for an informational sign I happened across:

A California Coastal National Monument sign found overlooking Trinidad Bay

Where Land Meets The Sea

A National Monument here on the North Coast?

Scan the coastal landscape spreading out before you. This area is rich in geological history and biological resources. The rocks dotting Trinidad Bay are now part of California Coastal National Monument (CCNM).

The Bureau of Land Management manages the CCNM, a network of over 20,000 small islands, exposed reefs, rocks and pinnacles spanning California’s entire 1100 mile coastline.

Landslides melting into the sea

Large masses of land are continually slumping into the ocean. The slow moving landslides, or earth flows, are a mixture of sediments from soft clay to hard rock. Like Rocky Road ice cream left in the hot sun, wave energy melts the softer sediments away, leaving behind large, chunky rocks. Many of the rocks you see close to shore were deposited from earth flows.

Ses Stacks: Hard rocks of the old coast

Some of the rocks that you see were once part of the ancient coastline. These resistant formations, or sea stacks, were isolated by rising seas, you erosive surf and geological uplift. Pilot rock is one example.

Trinidad Bay California seen from Luffenholtz Creek

all rock formations off the coast of California are part of the California Coastal National Monument

So now you know. If you happen to be along the California coastline and see rock formations off the coast, you are looking at one of our newer National Monuments.

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National Parks Free Day June

Just a friendly reminder that June 21, the first day of summer, is only two weeks away and is a National Parks fee free day. That means that the entrance fee to the parks, monuments, preserves, recreation areas and other sites within the National Park system will be waived. Fee Free National Parks days are offered throughout the year. In addition to the first day of summer, National Parks will also be fee free on September 24 (Public Lands Day) and from November 11 – 13 (Veterans Day weekend) this year.

Drakes Bay Beach at Point Reyes National Seashore

The fee free National Parks day on June 21, 2011 is good for free entrance to the parks in the National Parks system, but it doesn’t apply to other fees within the National Parks system such as reservation fees, camping fees, tour fees and concession fees. Most of the National Parks fee free days result in the National Parks being quite busy, but since the first day of summer falls on a Tuesday, it should be a great opportunity to visit a National Park for free with a minimal chance of large crowds. With the kids out for summer vacation, it may be a perfect day trip to plan.

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National Parks Photo Contest 2011

Share the Experience National Parks Photo Contest

When I visit National Parks, I find it hard not to take photos. Even though I am far from a professional photographer, I enjoy documenting what I see so that I can share it with others. If you have any interest in photography and our National Parks, you will want to know about the National Park Foundation’s 2011 Share the Experience photo contest.

Share the Experience is an annual photography competition which has the goal of encouraging all to share their National Parks experiences through photographs. The contest is open to everyone age 13 and older. Photos can be submitted online and by December 31, 2011 at ShareTheExperience.org. The following prizes are available for the National Parks photo contest:

Grand Prize: Trip to Recreation Area 4 days / 3 nights for 4 people, Magellan GPS eXploris 510, Federal Recreational Lands Interagency Pass, $100 REI gift card and $500 in spending money

1st Prize: Magellan GPS eXplorist 510, Federal Recreational Lands Interagency Pass and $100 REI gift card

2nd Prize: Magellan GPS eXplorist 310, Federal Recreational Lands Interagency Pass and $100 REI gift card

3rd Prize: Magellan GPS eXplorist GC, Federal Recreational Lands Interagency Pass and $100 REI gift card

Honorable Mention (10 winners): Federal Recreational Lands Interagency Pass and $100 REI gift card

Since the National Parks Photo Contest 2011 runs through the end of the year, there has been no announcement of the National Parks Photo Contest 2012 as of yet. As soon as we get information on the National Parks Photo Contest 2012, we will post it here.

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Intro To Caving Tour Oregon Caves

One reason that I want to return to Oregon Caves National Monument is to take advantage of their Introduction to Caving tour. Unlike the regular Oregon Caves tour, the Introduction to Caving tour gives people the chance to explore the cave in the true sense of the word. This means using caving gear which will be provided, including a helmet, a headlamp, knee-pads and gloves. During the introduction to caving tour you will learn how to climb and descend over rocky slopes and boulders, crawl on your hands and knees, cross uneven surfaces, and belly slide within the cave. Be warned that you will need to bring an extra change of clothes because you are going to get muddy. It sounds exactly like something that I would love to try.

The tours are offered on Saturdays beginning at 12:30 PM from July 11 through September 5 for $30.00 per person and will take approximately 4 -5 hours total, including instructional time before entering the caves. The Introduction to Caving tours are available on a first-come first-served basis and are strictly limited to six participants. There is a minimum age of 15 years old. Reservations can be made by calling (541) 592–2100 extension 262.

The Introduction to Caving tour will take you to areas within Oregon Caves National Monument which are not accessible on the regular tour. This includes the Snake Room, the South Room, and Marble Crawl. If anyone manages to go on this tour before I do, I would love to hear about your experience, but just from the description of it and the enthusiam that the Park rangers talked about it with me, I’m sure it will be worth every penny.

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Candlelight Cave Tour Oregon Caves

If you are looking for a unique way to explore Oregon Caves National Monument beyond the regular tour, but not wanting to get dirty with the Introduction to Caving tour, the Candlelight Cave Tour may be the perfect options for you. Instead of the regular lighting within the cave, you will explore Oregon caves how it was explored long ago using a lighted candle in a wooden candle lantern which will be provided to you.

The 2011 summer season when the Candlelight Tours begin (you need to check each season as the candlelight tour days have changed over the years) is from May 28 through September 5. The Candlelight Cave tours are currently tentatively set for the last tour on Friday and Saturday evenings at 6:30 pm. You can call the Oregon Caves visitors center at (541) 592-2100 ext. 2262 to confirm these times.

I think this would be a wonderful way to explore Oregon Caves giving the entire cave tour a completely different perspective and I hope to get a chance to do this soon. I’d love to hear from anyone that has taken this tour and their first hand impressions of it.

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Cliff Nature Trail Oregon Caves

When you exit the Exit Tunnel at Oregon Caves National Monument, you have two choices on how to return to the visitor center. The most common way is to take the 0.3 mile paved trail down the mountain back to the visitors center. The other option, which I would recommend, is to take 0.7 mile trail that goes above the cave called the Cliff Nature Trail. The Cliff Nature Trail leads you into him off the wonderland:

Moss covered tree at Oregon Caves National Monument

Moss covered rocks at Oregon Caves National Monument

Eventually you will emerge from the moss covered trees and hit a ridge which will give you a stunning view of the surrounding mountains and Illinois Valley:

The view at the top of Cliff Nature Train at Oregon Caves National Monument

Although the Cliff Nature Trail is more strenuous than taking the paved path back to the visitors center, you should have no problem with it if you made it through the Oregon Caves and you won’t be disappointed with the scenery and views you get to see.

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Exit Tunnel Oregon Caves

The last part of the Oregon Caves National Monument tour is up a long corridor called the exit tunnel. This is a man made tunnel that is fairly long and doesn’t have much in cave formations to look at:

The exit tunnel for Oregon Caves National Monument

This doesn’t mean that this part of the cave lacks interest. This is where you may get a chance to see the small bat population which hibernates in Oregon Caves over the winter. Although most bats at Oregon Caves roost under the bark of old-growth trees in the summer, some bats enter the cave during very cold periods. This is probably because their usual roosts under the bark on dead old-growth trees don’t provide enough insulation. There are also a few individual bats which hibernate in Oregon Caves during the winter. I was able to see one of these hibernating bats (although I did not get a photo since I didn’t want to disturb him). The most commonly seen bats at Oregon Caves are Townsend big-eared bats (especially in winter), Yuma bats, and long-eared myotis bats.

Once you exit the cave, you find yourself in a moss covered wonderland above where you entered the cave:

Exit view from Oregon Caves National Monument

It is then a 0.3 mile hike along a paved path back to the visitors center.

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Angel Falls Oregon Caves

One of the Oregon Cave’s imaginatively named formations is Angel Falls, a calcite flow located in the Ghost Room in Oregon Caves National Monument. When you reach it, you see it glowing in the dark under black lights which makes its fulvic acid-covered lengths of white rock shine an eerie blue (apologies on the photo — my camera did not focus well with the black light — it looked a whole lot better than the photo indicates)

Angel Falls under black light at Oregon Caves National Monument

You will then also get a chance to see Angel Falls bright white lengths in regular lighting:

Angel Falls in the Ghost Room at Oregon Caves National Monument

The next stop on the Oregon Caves tour is at the Exit Tunnel.