When The Wildlands Conservancy purchases a new preserve we look for “destination properties”—properties that you, our visitors, are naturally drawn to. One of the reasons 1.6 million visitors a year are drawn to our 21 preserves is because each of them has the soothing and inspirational draw of beautiful waters.

The Wildlands Conservancy has five preserves on the coast, where our visitors are invigorated by the thunderclap of waves, being splashed by the rolling tides, sharing the palm-tickle of a sand crab with their children, watching barking sea lions, or swimming, fishing, and surfing in the world’s largest ocean—the Pacific. Seven preserves are on major rivers; five where you can enjoy summer days swimming, fishing, kayaking, or wading in the Earth's refreshing waters. Seven other preserves have musical streams that guide your thoughts to a blissful place—if you stop to listen. Two reserves—Bearpaw and Mariposa—have over 100-foot-tall seasonal spring waterfalls.

Stretching along 18.5 miles of the Wild and Scenic Eel River in northern California and encompassing nearly 30,000 acres, the Lone Pine Ranch will provide new access to the future Great Redwood Trail, wild river frontage, and host a variety of passive recreation opportunities.

Dotted with freshwater wetlands, deep forests, two herds of Roosevelt Elk, and splendid seasonal wildflower blooms, protection of this landscape will advance our vision of an Eel River Emerald Necklace—a string of Preserves along the river that protect and provide access to the region.

In late July, The Wildlands Conservancy’s design team set out to learn how we could create additional opportunities for visitors to experience a connection, especially with the water of Bluff Lake, as most of the immediate shoreline is closed to the public to protect habitat. To balance access with habitat protection, we focused on an area with existing impacts from social trails and storm damage. The “Lago Tranquilo” trail was born from that brainstorming session.

Have you ever sat before a waterfall, quieted your thoughts, and simply watched it closely? Or sat beside a stream, looking carefully at the water rippling past you? Or stood at the ocean’s edge and witnessed the waves heroically crashing—or softly lapping—at the ends of the land? Or watched silently as the winds were made visible across a pond’s surface? Or looked up in the sky and surrendered to a rainfall, drenching your face and clothes? These moments are opportunities to experience water-blessed beauty. When we are open to them, these visits with Nature can be great nourishment to our minds, or powerful teachers to our spirits—often both.

RELAX IN THE EASTERN SIERRAS

Thanks to the generous support of a donor, there is a parking lot and river-side trail at Aspen Glen Reserve in Mono County. The property provides fishing access to a mile of the West Walker River from the new parking lot on the south side of Larson Lane, a half mile east of Highway 395.