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Exploring the beautiful nature of California
California Nature: Nature Destinations
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Breathtaking views, towering
mountains, volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls, dense
lush forests of giant redwoods, and glistening lakes.
California is a sight to behold. California Nature has listed some of
California's most outstanding natural places and parks. Browse
through our list of nature destinations and choose the one that
is right for you!
Despite the large metropolitan areas like San Francisco and Los Angeles, California still manages to be home to much of
the country’s most striking and varied wilderness, from purple mountains’
majesty to arid, marvelously barren desert to coastlines of unsurpassed
beauty.
Get off the beaten path and vacation with an affordable "back to
nature" sojourn. There are many ways to enjoy ecotourism as a
family adventure or individual alternative to luxury hotels and
pretentious over priced theme parks. |
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There is a certain comforting sensation that
comes from the cry of the circling gull overhead, the rhythm of
the waves greeting the shore, and the warmth of the sand between
your toes. California, with it's 840 miles of coastline, has
some of the greatest beaches in the world. California's tidal
shoreline including small bays and inlets is 3427 miles. Find
the beach area that is perfect for what you are looking for,
whether it is a sandy retreat, private coves perfect for
sunbathing, or family-friendly public sands complete with
concessions, the Golden State has a beach that fits the bill for
all its visitors. The Golden State's breathtaking
coastline, ranges from Hollywood-perfect expanses of smooth sand
to dramatically windswept Oceanside cliffs. If your idea of a
perfect day involves beach volleyball, building sandcastles,
hiking along picturesque seaside trails or catching a wave, you
can find it all at California’s many beaches.
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The Pacific Southwest Region of the US Forest Service manages 20 million acres of National Forest land in California. Big trees are the prime attraction of California's Sequoia National Park.
Many groves of the remarkable giant sequoia are found scattered along the moist, west-facing slopes of the
Sierra Nevada mountains, between elevations of 5,000 and 7,000 feet. The scale and grandeur of these reddish giants is quite stunning, and the park has many easy foot trails that wind through the woody groves leading to quiet undisturbed places, ideal to contemplate the ambience of the forest. Although the national park contains the largest trees and the most well known groves, many smaller, less accessible groups of sequoias can be found in the adjacent Giant Sequoia National Monument.
A large part of the Sierra Nevada range is
filled with canyons, lakes, waterfalls and high mountains,
including Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous
United States.
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Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is tucked
into the southeastern corner of California. Running about 25
miles east-to-west and 50 miles north-to-south, it is
California's largest state park encompassing more than 600,000
acres. The Park is framed by, and includes many rugged mountain
ranges: the Bucksnorts and the Santa Rosas on the north, the
Jacumba Mountains on the South and the Vallecito and Pinyon
Mountains on the west. To the east, the Borrego Mountains taper
into the Carrizo Badlands before falling away into the Salton
Trough. The defining precipitation rate for desert is ten
inches. Much of the Colorado Desert of southeastern California
averages less than four inches of rain in a year. Plants must
find ways to cope with the same daunting conditions that animals
face in trying to survive in a desert environment, searing
temperatures, desiccating winds, and most important of all,
scarcity of water. The challenge is even greater for plants as
they are literally rooted to the ground and unable to move in
search of more favorable locations when times get tough. Whether
it's scorching summer days, freezing winter nights, foraging
herbivores or months or even years of rainless drought, desert
plants have adapted multiple strategies for existing and even
thriving in an arid land.
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From the summer boat rides and water skiing on Big Bear Lake, a Southern California weekend getaway favorites for Southern Californians, to the newest fishing spot that serves as a water reservoir, Diamond Valley Lake in Hemet, the good times never end when there's a lake nearby. A reflective season is the autumn. At California's Central Valley lakes, the wildlife and expansive lands surrounding pounds and bodies of water make not only beautiful photos, but an experience to inspire as Californians and vacationers enter the mild, cool winters of the Central Valley. In California, there's quite a bit to crow about with the awesome lakes our state provides. Shasta Lake is a house boater's paradise. In the summer months when the region gets so hot you think you'll never see another cool day in your life, that's when Lake Shasta comes to the rescue with its temperate waters that bring relief to all who enjoy the reddish-mountains and tall green pines that surround the heavenly body.
Several natural wonders in Northern California include lakes within Lassen Volcanic National Park. With names like Bumpass Hell, some are filled with boiling springs, steam vents and mud pots and are not conducive to anything but looking and watching.
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