Death Valley National Park, California
Yes, Death Valley. I've been coming here since I was a
child. I thank my parents for introducing me to this
wonderful place. I never tire of it's silent beauty. I've
hiked across the width of Death Valley and back three
times. Some would say I'm nuts, and in fact on one of those
hikes I did come close to disaster, but the risks seem
minor compared to the scenery to be had. My long time
friend and hiking partner Dr. Robert Wehrman has hiked a good
length of the valley and then some, so I'm not the
only crazy one. I've spent a great deal of time
through the years exploring in and around this area,
both on foot and by four-wheel drive. It just can't be
matched for adventure.
Joshua Tree National Park, California
Having spent many weekends as a child near this area (my
parents homesteaded a five acre parcel and built a small
cabin in Twentynine Palms in 1955, which I still own), I
had and still have the opportunity to hike here, although
not as frequently as I'd like. I've hiked many of the
trails here, both winter and summer. As the elevation in
the north-western part of the park is 2000 to 6000 feet,
it's not as hot as one might expect mid-summer.
Anza Borrego Desert State Park, California
A seemingly little visited area perhaps only because of its
immensity. Largely undeveloped, it affords the hiker with
many choices to get lost for a weekend or so. Springtime
here is spectacular if the previous winter was a wet one.
This is a vast area, so most of my travel has been by
vehicle, but I have done a few hikes here. Nothing beats
walking into this desert and getting lost for a day or two.