Bobcats & Pinnacles National Park - October 23, 2015

This RV park has a lot of wildlife here. We have seen at least 8 deer each day, and a million squirrels. But I really wanted to see a bobcat. There are pictures of bobcats in the lodge that other guests have taken, so I went looking.

There is a nature/excercise trail that travels along a creek by the park.

And the trees here have giant, low, limbs that would be great for a cat to run around on.

Then I saw something promising in one of the trees.

I put my tele-photo lens on for the shot.

Arggggg!

Close, but no cigar!

I did take a picture on one of my favorite trees here, a Ponderosa Pine.

Then we were off to Pinnacles National Park, hopefully to spot a California Condor.

This NP is pretty new. It was made into a National Park back in 2013. And besides all the hiking to be had here, the state releases California Condors back into the wild here.

We got our Passport stamped at the visitor Center and picked up a hiking map. The ranger gave us some hiking suggestions and told us where we may see one of the big birds.

Then we saw some big birds right off the bat!

We chose the Condor Gulch Trail.

It is 1.7 miles each way, 1,100 feet elevation gain, and listed as moderate. It gets up there around the pinnacles.

We are off.

We took lots of water, snacks, camera, walking poles, and binoculars. Here we go into big bird country.

Beautiful weather and scenery.

It was a gradual climb.

Closer and closer we got to the pinnacles, and the home of the condors. Stopping every so often to scan for wildlife, and take pictures.

We only met a half of dozen hiker on the trip.

We really enjoyed the day. We saw cool trees, and the home of the condors .... just no condors.

Oh well, we had a good time today.

On the way back, I couldn't help noticing the dry California landscape.

Hope the drought ends sometime soon. This place could burn just too easily.