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From LA to Canyons - birds and mammals (1 Viewer)

Winterdune

Well-known member
Hi all,

I, my partner, and our two boys aged 8 and 12, came (from the UK) to California in July/August this year and had a really great time. We went up the coast road between LA and SF, spending most of our tine in the foggy Big Sur and Monterey, seeing condors, blue whales etc along the way, then we went across to Yosemite, then down on the other side of the sierras via the White Mountains, through Death valley to Las Vegas (ugh!) and back to LA.

We enjoyed ourselves so much that we have booked to go again and this time want to get to the canyons (possibly Grand, Zion, Bryce, and Monument Valley). We will have 3 weeks and will camp and stay at the occasional cheap motel 8 type place.

I'd like to maximise bird species, but the family are more into mammals. We don't really want to spend the whole three weeks in red-rock environments, but we all do agree though that we want to see different stuff from last year, maybe south of LA on the way out to the canyons. However I really loved some of the places we went to after the coast: the Ancient Bristlecone Forest, and the Bodie/Mono Lake/Eastern Sierras area, which we really didn't spend enough time on. Also I really fancy seeing kangeroo rats at Carizo Plain, which we missed out last year.
So I am a bit torn as I sort of think we should go back there and do the eastern sierras justice... Reading Jos Stratford's reports of this area also whets my appetite to go back.

So what should we do? Go back up to the eastern side of the Sierras then have a long trek to the canyons, or do some things in the LA and south area before going out there? I really don't know enough about what lies outside of the classic LA/SF loop.

All recommendations gratefully received to help us plan a varied, interesting and birdy/mammaly trip!!

Cheers
Sean
 
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Definitely a warm time of year. The Carrizo Plain and flower spots east and southeast are best in April. Just sayin'. The east side of the Sierra is under-appreciated. The western 'Front Country' of Sequoia and Kings Parks is something to think of too.

If you went north, the Redwoods (Prairie Creek, Jedidiah Smith) are quite nice as is Lassen Park, Modoc County, and Crater Lake.

If mammals are what you seek. Some time try Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier Parks. Also, Alaska.
 
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