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California

Los Padres National Forest

October 8, 2025 Raven About The Parks 2 Comments

Los Padres National Forest

California

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region

1,963,836 acres (1,762,767 federal/ 201,069 other)

Website: http://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/lospadres

Overview

Los Padres National Forest stretches more than 200 miles from Monterrey south beyond Santa Barbara. It contains most of Big Sur, a name that conjures images of craggy cliffs dropping precipitously into white-capped ocean waves. This sparsely inhabited stretch of coastline is known as much for its historic bohemians as its coast redwood trees. It is home to multiple rare tree species with limited native ranges, especially those that can tolerate serpentine soils. As the only National Forest in California that touches the Pacific Ocean, a road trip down scenic Highway 1 should be on everyone’s bucket list, including stops at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Bixby Creek Bridge, Hearst Castle State Park, and the elephant seal rookery at Piedras Blancas. We have hiked many trails here since Scott taught for three years at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo.

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Highlights

Big Sur, Sykes Hot Springs, Salmon Creek Falls, Jade Cove, Cuesta Ridge Botanical Area, Figueroa Mountain, Mt. Pinos, Knapp’s Castle, Seven Falls, Sespe Hot Springs

Must-Do Activity

Los Padres National Forest is 48% designated Wilderness, so the recommended activity is to hike into those natural areas. The Matilija Wilderness is in the Santa Ynez Mountains that loom above the coastal city of Santa Barbara, home to a university, art museum, and historic Presidio built in 1782. If you go to hike to the ruins of Knapp’s Castle in the National Forest, also make a quick stop at Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park, which contains colorful pictographs dating back to the 1600s. Another popular U.S. Forest Service trailhead located closer to town goes either to Inspiration Point or Seven Falls, the latter a better choice on foggy days, which are common on the coast.

Best Trail

There are 323 miles of incredible hiking trails throughout Los Padres National Forest, including a few that access hot springs. Our favorite trails are in the Santa Lucia Mountains that tower above Big Sur. One pinnacle accessible by trail is Cone Peak at 5,155 feet in elevation. The access road is typically closed in the winter, but when it is open the trail is only 2.3 miles to the summit with a vertical gain of 1,400 feet. Do not expect any shade since multiple fires have burned most of the mountain, although there are still a few surviving examples of the rare Santa Lucia fir tree. Although some areas are no longer vegetated, the plentiful sunshine above the fog belt means there are often incredible displays of wildflowers along the trail early in summer, including lupine, sticky monkeyflower, and yucca.

Watchable Wildlife

There is a wide range of wildlife found here from sea level up to 8,847 feet in elevation, and the most famous is the reintroduced California condor that nests in the Sespe Condor Sanctuary. Other birds include barn owls, great horned owls, red-tailed hawks, bald eagles, California quail, and California scrub jays. Coyotes, black bears, bobcats, mountain lions, black-tailed deer, bighorn sheep, and raccoons are common large mammals. Species of concern include the foothill yellow-legged frog and California mountain kingsnake. Look for California newts and banana slugs in the moist understory of coast redwood forests.

Photographic Opportunity

Even if you are not spending the night at Kirk Creek Campground, you can park and walk down the trail to the south that goes past redwood trees to the beach where there is a sea arch and tidepools.

Peak Season

Fall and winter

Fees

$5 per vehicle Adventure Pass (or America the Beautiful pass) required at most trailheads

Road Conditions

There are some steep unpaved roads in Los Padres National Forest, which can be impassable in wet or snowy conditions. Portions of the unpaved Tassajara Road to Chews Ridge are narrow and steep, requiring a four-wheel-drive vehicle to reach Tassajara Hot Springs.

Camping

A night spent listening to the ocean waves breaking far below the U.S. Forest Service’s clifftop Kirk Creek Campground is enchanting, which is why it made it on our list of Top 10 Campgrounds in National Forests. There are 11 campgrounds in total, and a free campfire permit is required if you use a camp stove (which can be obtained online). Sespe Hot Springs is a popular ten-mile one-way backpacking destination.

Wilderness Areas

Chumash Wilderness

Dick Smith Wilderness

Garcia Wilderness

Machesna Mountain Wilderness

Matilija Wilderness

San Rafael Wilderness

Santa Lucia Wilderness

Sespe Wilderness

Silver Peak Wilderness

Ventana Wilderness

Related Sites

Angeles National Forest (California)

Muir Woods National Monument (California)

Point Reyes National Seashore (California)

Channel Islands National Park (California)

Nearest National Park

Pinnacles

Scott’s mother and aunt in the redwood forest

Conifer Tree Species

coast redwood, Monterey pine, Coulter pine, gray pine, Jeffrey pine, ponderosa pine, limber pine, bigcone Douglas-fir, Sargent cypress, Monterey cypress, white fir, Santa Lucia fir

Flowering Tree Species

coast live oak, California black oak, tanoak, western redbud, Pacific madrone, manzanita

Explore More – What is the name of the nomadic group that lived in Big Sur dating back 5,500 years ago?

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Maine

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument

October 1, 2025 Raven About The Parks Leave a comment

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument

Managed by National Park Service

Established 2016

87,564 acres

Website: nps.gov/kaww

Overview

Central Maine is an ecological transition zone between boreal and broadleaf deciduous forests that provides habitat for Canada lynx, black bear, moose, and beaver. The waters are home to brook trout and Atlantic salmon, which are being reestablished with cooperation between government agencies and the Penobscot and other Wabanaki Nations. The official northern terminus of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Katahdin means “greatest mountain” in the Penobscot language and is the name of the 5,269-foot peak outside National Monument boundaries in neighboring Baxter State Park. This undeveloped landscape was purchased by the businesswoman Roxanne Quimby beginning in 2001 with the plan to turn it into a National Park. It was donated to the National Park Service to mark the centennial of its creation and, despite some controversy, was established by President Barack Obama.

Learn more about the other 137 National Monuments in our book Monumental America: Your Guide to All 138 National Monuments. It is now available for sale on Amazon.com.

Highlights

Tekαkαpimək Contact Station, Patten Lumbermen’s Museum, Katahdin Loop Road, Barnard Mountain, Stair Falls

Must-Do Activity

Opened in 2025 near the south entrance, the Tekαkαpimək Contact Station is seasonally open Friday through Sunday in a building inspired by Wabanaki culture. The National Park Service no longer works out of the Patten Lumbermen’s Museum (but it is still worth a visit). The 17-mile-long Katahdin Loop Road in the southern section of the National Monument is the most developed with picnic areas, vault toilets, and overlooks. The unpaved loop road is accessed from the east by miles of unpaved road and has no access to Baxter State Park. About 30 miles of the International Appalachian Trail runs through Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument with lean-tos dispersed along the route. Other than hiking, visitors enjoy stargazing, birding, leaf peeping in the fall, canoeing the East Branch of the Penobscot River with portages around its many waterfalls. In the winter, there are opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.

Best Trail

From the Haskell Gate at the end of New River Road, it is 3.5 miles out-and-back to Stair Falls on the East Branch of the Penobscot River. The first part follows an old road and the International Appalachian Trail before branching north at a signed junction to access the water and is also open to bicycles. The only trailhead accessed from a paved road is the 13.6-mile Seboeis Riverside Trail that starts outside the National Monument off Grand Lake Road.

Photographic Opportunity

One of the best views of Katahdin is from the top of Barnard Mountain, accessed by a two-mile one-way hike with 725 feet of elevation gain.

Peak Season

Summer

Hours

https://www.nps.gov/kaww/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm

Fees

None

Road Conditions

Every road within the National Monument is unpaved, so watch for potholes and logging trucks. The north and south entrances have gates that close seasonally.

Camping

Reservations are required to car camp at designated sites within Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and can be made online at Recreation.gov.

Related Sites

Appalachian National Scenic Trail (Maine to Georgia)

Saint Croix Island International Historic Site (Maine)

White Mountain National Forest (New Hampshire, Maine)

Nearest National Park

Acadia

Explore More – When did Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument receive official recognition as a Dark Sky Sanctuary?

Learn more about the other 137 National Monuments in our book Monumental America: Your Guide to All 138 National Monuments

Montana

Lolo National Forest

July 16, 2025 Raven About The Parks Leave a comment

Lolo National Forest

Montana

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Northern Region

2,639,224 acres (2,197,966 federal/ 441,258 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/lolo

Overview

Located in western Montana, the elevation of Lolo National Forest ranges from less than 2,400 feet on the Clark Fork River below Thompson Falls to the top of 9,186-foot Scapegoat Mountain. West of Missoula off Interstate 90, the Ninemile Historic Remount Depot preserves a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp and pack stock training facility. Founded in 1907, the Savenac Historic Tree Nursery Area is also well developed for visitors, including an arboretum and cabin rentals in what were formerly the cookhouse and bunkhouse.

Know someone who loves the National Forests? Gift them our travel guidebook Out in the Woods so they can learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests.

Highlights

Rattlesnake National Recreation Area, Lolo Pass Visitor Center, Lolo National Historic Trail, Fort Fizzle, Blue Mountain Recreation Area, Cascade Falls, Savenac Nursery, Petty Creek Bighorn Sheep Viewing Site, Clearwater Canoe Trail, Stark Mountain Vista, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

Must-Do Activity

Lolo National Forest surrounds Missoula, where the Aerial Fire Depot and Smokejumper Center offers guided tours and exhibits. Right outside of the city are numerous hiking trails in Blue Mountain Recreation Area and Rattlesnake National Recreation Area, which contains 73 miles of trails (and has its own blog entry on our website). Following a path used by the Corps of Discovery in 1805, the Lolo National Historic Trail shadows Highway 12 west into Idaho (see Clearwater National Forest). Take time to stop at the Lolo Pass Visitor Center managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Best Trail

Morrell Falls National Recreation Trail leads to a 90-foot-tall waterfall on the western slope of the Swan Range. The trail is 5.5 miles out-and-back, mostly flat with some short inclines as it cuts through a burned area now full of beargrass and fireweed. The waterfall cascades down a rocky outcrop and is well lit in the afternoon. The trailhead is located 7.5 miles from Highway 83 on a good gravel road that has well-signed intersections. Also nearby, the Pyramid Pass Trailhead provides access to the Bob Marshall Wilderness in adjacent Flathead National Forest.

Watchable Wildlife

There are 60 species of mammals found in Lolo National Forest, including grizzly/brown bears, black bears, mountain lions, gray wolves, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, moose, and mule deer. Among the largest of the more than 300 birds spotted are bald eagles, golden eagles, and trumpeter swans. The five rivers and over 100 lakes are home to 30 varieties of ducks and 20 types of fish.

Photographic Opportunity

Located on the western slope of the Swan Range, 90-foot-tall Morrell Falls is accessed on a 5.5-mile out-and-back hike.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

None

Road Conditions

The unpaved roads we took were in good shape to Morrell Falls National Recreation Trail and Rattlesnake National Recreation Area.

Camping

The forest has 12 improved campgrounds and several historic fire lookout towers available for overnight rental through the website Recreation.gov.

Wilderness Areas

Rattlesnake Wilderness

Scapegoat Wilderness (also in Helena and Lewis and Clark National Forests)

Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness (also in Bitterroot, Clearwater, and Nez Perce National Forests)

Welcome Creek Wilderness

Related Sites

Deerlodge National Forest (Montana)

Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument (Montana)

Beaverhead National Forest (Montana)

Nearest National Park

Glacier

Douglas-fir cone setting on a larch branch

Conifer Tree Species

western redcedar, alpine larch, western larch, whitebark pine, ponderosa pine, grand fir, subalpine fir, Engelmann spruce, mountain hemlock

Flowering Tree Species

quaking aspen, Rocky Mountain maple, western serviceberry

Explore More – What is the origin of the name Lolo?

Know someone who loves the National Forests? Gift them our travel guidebook Out in the Woods so they can learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests.

New Mexico

Lincoln National Forest

June 11, 2025 Raven About The Parks 3 Comments

Lincoln National Forest

New Mexico

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Southwestern Region

1,271,064 acres (1,103,897 federal/ 167,167 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/lincoln

Overview

Lincoln National Forest is best known as the birthplace of Smokey Bear, a black bear cub that survived a 1950 wildfire in the Capitan Mountains and became a national symbol. The nearby Smokey Bear Historical State Park is the final resting place for the famous bear that passed away at Washington D.C.’s National Zoo in 1976. Lincoln National Forest includes parts of the Guadalupe, Sacramento, Sierra Blanca/White Mountains, Capitan, and Gallinas ranges. There are several long trails through the National Forest, including the 20-mile Crest Trail in the White Mountain Wilderness and the 11-mile South Base Trail in the Capitan Wilderness. All but one mile of the 29-mile-long Rim Trail is open to OHVs.

Highlights

Sunspot Scenic Byway, Billy the Kid Scenic Byway, Trestle Recreation Area, Sitting Bull Falls, Sierra Blanca Peak, Rim Trail, Willie White Trail, Dog Canyon National Recreation Trail, Capitan Peak Trail

Must-Do Activity

Sunspot Scenic Byway (State Road 6563) provides great views and access to one of the world’s largest solar observatories that is open for tours on summer weekends. At its remote southern end, the National Forest borders both Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks. Roads only connect with the latter, where a short detour takes you to the half-mile trail for 150-foot-tall Sitting Bull Falls. In 1898, the Alamogordo and Sacramento Mountain Railway was constructed to access timberland 4,747 feet in the mountains above. One of its scenic remnants is the 320-foot trestle over Mexican Canyon near Cloudcroft. Lincoln National Forest has six fire lookouts listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the stone Monjeau Lookout built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) that is accessible on a steep dirt road. Given its proximity to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, it is not surprising that there are hundreds of caves in the National Forest that require a permit to explore.

Best Trail

Dog Canyon National Recreation Trail follows a prehistoric travel route into the Sacramento Mountains east of White Sands National Park. The trailhead starts in Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, which has a nice campground and charges a day use fee (though we have seen cars avoid this by parking just outside its entrance). The 5.5-mile one-way trail climbs quickly above a beautiful canyon providing views of the Tularosa Basin before leveling out. Past the cabin ruins at the three-mile point, look for fossils along the trail as it again steeply rises into the agave and cacti-studded mountains. After gaining more than 3,000 feet in elevation, it dead ends at Forest Road 90B.

Watchable Wildlife

Ecosystems in the National Forest vary widely since it is spread across several mountain ranges and encompasses Chihuahuan Desert, pinyon-juniper woodlands, pine forests, and alpine meadows above 11,000 feet. Game species include elk, mule deer, black bear, mountain lion, and exotic Barbary sheep.

Photographic Opportunity

Look for fossils in the rocks along Dog Canyon National Recreation Trail.

Peak Season

Spring and fall

Fees

None

Road Conditions

The Sunspot Scenic Byway and the road into Oliver Lee Memorial State Park are both paved and maintained, although the paved access road (137) through Lincoln National Forest to the north part of Guadalupe Mountains National Park has many potholes in it. Be aware that there are also four-wheel-drive only roads to some trailheads.

Camping

There are a few developed campgrounds in the middle of the National Forest off Highway 82. Although not all areas are open to dispersed camping, popular spots include Upper Bonito Dispersed Camping Area northwest of Ruidoso and Lower Karr Canyon south of Cloudcroft.

Wilderness Areas

Capitan Wilderness

White Mountain Wilderness

Related Sites

Cibola National Forest (New Mexico)

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument (New Mexico)

Gila National Forest (New Mexico)

Nearest National Park

Carlsbad Caverns

Conifer Tree Species

ponderosa pine, pinyon pine, limber pine, one-seed juniper, Engelmann spruce, Douglas-fir, white fir

Flowering Tree Species

New Mexico locust, quaking aspen, bigtooth maple, Rocky Mountain maple, mountain-mahogany, hophornbeam, Texas madrone

Explore More – What was the Lincoln County War of 1878?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

Montana

Lewis and Clark National Forest

May 28, 2025 Raven About The Parks 4 Comments

Lewis and Clark National Forest

Montana

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Northern Region

1,999,256 acres (1,863,788 federal/ 135,468 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/helena-lewisclark

Overview

East of the Continental Divide in Montana, Lewis and Clark National Forest is split across eight mountain ranges east and west of the Missouri River. The largest western section butts up against Glacier National Park to the north and includes parts of the Scapegoat and the Bob Marshall Wilderness areas, which provide crucial habitat for grizzly/brown bears and world-class places for backpacking. The Lewis and Clark Forest Reserve dates back to 1897, with the now-defunct Jefferson and Absaroka National Forests added in 1932 and 1945 respectively. Since 2014, it has been co-managed with Helena National Forest.

Highlights

King Hill Scenic Byway, Cataract Falls, Sun River Gorge, Gibson Reservoir, Mt. Wright, Deep Creek Loop National Recreation Trail, Windy Mountain Trail, Crystal Cascades Trail, Crystal Lake Shoreline Loop Trail, Continental Divide National Scenic Trail

Must-Do Activity

We have always wanted to visit the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service’s 25,000 square-foot Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls, Montana. It features an exhibit hall, hiking trails, and a 158-seat theater, and it is open daily in the summer and Wednesday through Sunday in the offseason. We have also wanted to backpack in the rugged Snowy Mountains, which draw backcountry skiers in the winter and horseback riders in the summer. We will have to return to this central part of Montana, which includes one of our favorite places to explore: Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument run by the Bureau of Land Management.

Best Trail

One of the most famous formations along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is the 15-mile long Chinese Wall, a 1,000-foot-tall cliff composed of five-million-year-old limestone. Its closest access is 15 miles one-way from the South Fork Sun Trailhead, which is often marked as Packers on maps at the end of the gravel Benchmark Road (Forest Road 235). The trail begins by following the South Fork Sun River before crossing a bridge and entering the Bob Marshall Wilderness. We got a late start on the way in and came across a grizzly/brown bear grazing near the trail that evening and, on the drive out, we stopped to photograph three moose near Wood Lake Campground and a common loon in Anderson Lake.

Watchable Wildlife

Grizzly/brown bears are the most famous residents of the National Forest. Additional mammals include black bears, mountain lions, Canada lynxes, wolverines, mule deer, Columbian white-tailed deer, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, and moose. Bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, and three types of grouse are often spotted. There are excellent fly-fishing opportunities in the 1,600 miles of rivers and streams.

Photographic Opportunity

The 15-mile long Chinese Wall is an iconic landmark along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

None except for the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls, which costs $8 per person or you can use an America the Beautiful pass.

Road Conditions

We drove the gravel Benchmark Road (Forest Road 235), which was long and in excellent condition.

Camping

There are 29 vehicle-accessible campgrounds in Lewis and Clark National Forest, including Wood Lake Campground near the South Fork Sun Trailhead. Backcountry and dispersed camping options abound.

Wilderness Areas

Bob Marshall Wilderness (also in Flathead National Forest)

Scapegoat Wilderness (also in Helena and Lolo National Forests)

Related Sites

Deerlodge National Forest (Montana)

Bighorn National Forest (Wyoming)

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument (Montana)

Nearest National Park

Glacier

Conifer Tree Species

western redcedar, Douglas-fir, limber pine, whitebark pine, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, western larch, common juniper

Flowering Tree Species

quaking aspen, Rocky Mountain maple, western serviceberry

Explore More – Why is the 200 square-mile Badger-Two Medicine area of the National Forest managed differently?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

Los Padres National Forest

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument

Lolo National Forest

Lincoln National Forest

Lewis and Clark National Forest

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