Guided Adventures in California Parks

With Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell making history with their climb of El Capitan’s Dawn Wall, maybe you’re curious about the sport—curious enough to give it a try yourself. Well, you should—especially when you have help from outstanding instructors at Yosemite Mountaineering School. Even if you’ve never done more than scramble up a boulder (or not even that), you’ll get the equipment and learn the basic skills that will get you climbing up Yosemite’s legendary granite. Even kids are welcome (classes are open to ages 12 and up). Taking a rock-climbing class is just one of the ways you can have an unforgettable experience at this World Heritage Site. You can “glamp” in fully outfitted canvas tents while eating hot meals and taking in sunsets at one of five High Sierra camps. Or you can join naturalist-led walk to learn about plants and animals, or hone your photography skills with special classes and programs. For a classic California culinary adventure, make reservations to attend annual chefs’ and vintners’ events, at the Majestic Yosemite (formerly the Ahwahnee), where you’ll learn tips from leading experts in food and wine.

This other-worldly desert park, about an hour east of Palm Springs, can get even more unforgettable when you make time for a special guided experience. First, look up—way, way up—once the sun goes down for one of the world’s great natural light shows. Joshua Tree’s clear desert skies make it a premier place for stargazing, especially on moonless nights. Join a ranger-led night sky program to get a guided tour of stars, planets, constellations, and glimmering galaxies; check the schedule at the Oasis Visitor Center or Cottonwood Campground. Another way to broaden your experience: Take a field class. Desert Institute offers a wide range of topics, including desert survival skills, photography, painting, plant identification.

Experienced climbing guides offer lessons for all abilities—from novices to calloused and muscled rock stars—at this land of giant boulders and weathered stone outcroppings. To find a guide stop in at local climbing gear shops, like Nomad Ventures or Joshua Tree Outfitters, in the town of Joshua Tree, on the park’s north side.

For an in-depth exploration of the park without having to cover a lot of ground on foot, and to probably see features you’d never know about with a guide, consider taking a Jeep or Hummer tour with outfitters such as Desert Adventures Red Jeep Tours. You will be showered with incredible information about plants, animals, geology, and Native American history—and if you’ve ever wanted to see inside an active earthquake fault zone, this is one of the coolest ways you can do it. The three-hour San Andreas Fault Jeep Tour will take you between the narrow walls of the water-carved slot canyons created by the seismic movement of the earth’s plates, and teach you about the culture and lifestyle of the Cahuilla Indians. Go during the cooler months (November through March) for the most comfortable temps on the open-air ride through the desert.  

While Death Valley is known for being really big and really hot, it is also a place of subtle surprises, like the secret tunnel system beneath Scotty’s Castle, a remarkable complex built in the park’s far north corner. Guided tours let you explore the underground maze as well as the “castle.” 

Digging into the park’s ancient history is another amazing and surprisingly popular experience, with ranger-led paleontology tours exploring normally closed off areas. The full-day experience includes a 7-mile/11-km hike, but that does not deter visitors, the hikes are so popular they are only available by lottery. 

Death Valley’s almost 1,000 miles/1,609 kilometres of paved and dirt roads make the park a natural for guided Jeep tours. Pink Jeep Tours (yes, your ride is bright pink) are a popular outfitter. At night, with millions of stars visible in the very dark, very clear skies stargazing is outstanding. Join ranger-led “new moon” events to learn about constellations and more. Or, take advantage of lunar glow on special full moon tours of canyons.

The desert ecosystem can be a subtle one, with what seems to be hard scrabble and cacti in fact being a rich habitat filled with unique plants and animals supremely adapted to the harsh environment. Expert naturalists from the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association help you unlock the desert’s mysteries on guided walks and talks. One favourite: a hike in Borrego Palm Canyon to spot desert bighorn sheep. On full moon nights, join the Hike to the Moon walk, including telescopes for close-ups of our brilliant celestial neighbour as it rises into the night sky.

A guided tour in an off road Jeep or Hummer is a great way to explore, and to learn about unique plants and wildlife. California Overland offers a variety of tours, as well as special camping over night, including stargazing by telescope, setting up and breaking down camp, and gourmet meals.