Numerous Santa Clarita Valley residents travel to Death Valley National Park each year by way of Highway 190, which intersects with Highway 395 in Olancha. While on their way to the park, they drive past an area named Lower Centennial Flat. As they drive by, they might look out of their vehicle window...

Are you thinking about getting a pet? Are you considering a California desert tortoise? While tortoises are great pets, they are not for everyone. One primary reason is that a desert tortoise can live anywhere from 60 to 80 years. Adopting a California desert tortoise is likely a lifetime commitment...

I recently had a conversation with somebody who has driven and ridden in off-road vehicle areas maintained by the Bureau of Land Management for more than 20 years. This person was confident he knew and understood the rules that applied to various types of OHV areas. But as our discussion progressed,...

More than 30 species of cacti can be found in California’s deserts, ranging from the 3-inch fishhook cactus to the towering 30- to 40-foot saguaro. That number does not include plants which some people incorrectly think are cacti, such as yuccas, agaves, ocotillos and Joshua trees. In my opinion, the...

While driving on Highway 395 between Pearsonville and Coso Junction, you may have noticed a small sign that marks a road to Fossil Falls. The name is somewhat deceiving; you will not see a waterfall at Fossil Falls. However, Fossil Falls is a unique and scenic place that is worth the short side trip. Not...

Have you ever traveled on I-10 between the California-Arizona border and Palm Springs and stopped for gas at Chiriaco Summit and wondered why there was a General Patton Memorial Museum there – in the middle of our desert? If you have never stopped there, I recommend that you do. The reason the General...

What would be your response to the question, “What are the oldest trees in the world?” If you guessed the giant sequoias, you guessed wrong. The oldest known giant sequoia is about 3,500 years old. The oldest known Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva), named Methusela, is an impressive 4,841...

Pay a visit to one of our deserts, and you will likely see creosote bush. Creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) is one of the more common plants in our deserts. It occurs in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts in California. The average person likely looks at a creosote bush and thinks that it is a worthless,...

The Mohave ground squirrel (Xerospermophilus mohavensis) is a species of ground squirrel that is found only in Los Angeles, Kern, Inyo, and San Bernardino Counties, in the western Mojave Desert. Its range is from near Palmdale on the southwest, to Lucerne Valley on the southeast, Olancha on the northwest,...

One hundred years ago, construction began on a new road dubbed the Plank Road. It was built to cross the Imperial Sand Dunes and provided the first direct route for motorists traveling between San Diego and Arizona. The road became a reality due to a San Diego man by the name of Col. Ed Fletcher. Fletcher...