Kyle Hanson 7/12/16 Kyle Hanson 7/12/16

#308 Carrizo Plain National Monument

Carrizo Plain National Monument is a true wilderness experience in California's Great Central Valley. More than 200,000 acres of untouched beauty reveal what the entire valley looked like long before development. Beautiful grassland plains hug rolling hills blanketed by a rainbow of wildflowers in the Spring. The San Andreas Fault cuts right through the plain giving it a rich geological history. Native Chumash considered the plain sacred and inhabited the area for at least 4,000 years.

Today, this is the only original California grassland strand remaining. The highest concentration of endangered species in the state reside here including the tule elk, pronghorn, San Joaquin kit fox & antelope squirrel, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, giant kangaroo rat as well as the California condor. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management as opposed to the National Park Service, the plain is continuously in a controversial debate over grazing, solar power and oil drilling rights. One visit will have you one the side for preservation.

*Access is dirt road only, 4 wheel drive strongly recommended

Kyle Hanson 7/3/16 Kyle Hanson 7/3/16

#299 Jacinto Reyes National Scenic Byway

Jacinto Reyes is a 36 mile National Scenic Byway in Ventura County. The scenic route, also known as Highway 33, winds through beautiful mountain canyons of Los Padres National Forest and offers stunning vista points along the way. Four National Wilderness areas can be accessed here for those seeking solitude. Come for the day and stay for the sunsets.

Kyle Hanson 6/21/16 Kyle Hanson 6/21/16

#287 Jalama Road Scenic Byway

Jalama Road is a 14 mile Scenic Byway between Lompoc and the ocean. The road winds through rolling hills that are a brilliant green in the winter and golden in the summer. Oak groves dot the slopes to provide shade and a haven for wildlife. At the end is the secluded Jalama Beach where you will feel worlds away to discover a pristine coast.

Kyle Hanson 6/14/16 Kyle Hanson 6/14/16

#280 Artist's Drive & Palette

Artist's Drive & Palette is a deep canyon in the Black Mountains of Death Valley National Park. Oxidation of metals along the canyon walls create a rainbow of colors from iron, mica and manganese exposed from volcanic activity. This one-way 9-mile drive provides stunning vistas at every turn and is best seen in the afternoon light and sunset where the colors are their most vibrant.

Kyle Hanson 5/22/16 Kyle Hanson 5/22/16

#257 Mulholland Drive

Mulholland Drive is a famous drive in the Hollywood Hills opening in 1924. At 21 miles long, the drive provides sweeping views of Hollywood & its iconic sign, Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. With its celebrity homes and history, it is an ultimate tourist attraction but the views far outweigh the crowds.

Kyle Hanson 5/11/16 Kyle Hanson 5/11/16

#246 Rim O' The World

Rim O' The World is a National Scenic Byway in the San Bernardino Mountains. This beautiful 100 mile stretch lives up to its name as it winds along panoramic mountains with gorgeous vistas. You will feel as if you are driving on the edge of the world as you climb to alpine peaks 7,000 feet and up. Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake are just two of the many wonders awaiting discovery.

Kyle Hanson 4/19/16 Kyle Hanson 4/19/16

#224 Wild Horse Canyon Road

Wild Horse Canyon Road is a scenic drive through the Mojave National Preserve. This dirt drive is a true experience of solitude as is winds along the secluded canyon. Beautiful mountains full of desert cacti reveal vista points of genuine Mojave desert terrain. *Watch for free roam cattle and 4 wheel drive strongly recommended

Kyle Hanson 3/1/16 Kyle Hanson 3/1/16

#175 Twenty Mule Team Canyon

Twenty Mule Team Canyon in Death Valley National Park is a beautiful drive with colorful badlands and eroded cliffs. It was named after the famous 'Twenty Mule Team' of 18 mules and 2 horses who hauled borax in wagons out of Death Valley between 1883 to 1889. The trip was a difficult ten day, 165 mile trek across the Mojave. History lives on in this perfect symbolic spot of the Old West. *Please use caution on this dirt road in the desert

Kyle Hanson 2/10/16 Kyle Hanson 2/10/16

#155 Palms to Pines National Scenic Byway

Palms to Pines National Scenic Byway is one of the most scenic drives in Southern California. From the desert ecosystem of Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley to the snow-covered peaks of the San Bernardino National Forest, this winding road takes you from sea level to peaks more than a mile high in pristine wilderness. Beautiful overlooks offer dramatic views that soar for miles.

Kyle Hanson 1/6/16 Kyle Hanson 1/6/16

#120 Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument

Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument preserves 280,000 acres in the peninsular mountain ranges. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians own and manage a large portion of the monument of which house many sacred sites. It is a land of extremes rising from the heat of the desert floor to the snow dusted peaks 10,000 feet high.

Palms to Pines National Scenic Byway winds through the encompassing mountains and is a great driving overview of the monument. The National Landscape Conservation System maintains the monument as a 'healthy, wild and open' space. Unlike many other parks and monuments, not many mapped trails or sites exist. It is a place for deep reflection and solitude. The beauty of nature awaits!