The sunrise reflected yellow off the steep cliffs of Santa Rosa Island, and we knew we had a great day in store. The entire group headed ashore on the second largest of the Channel Islands for hikes. We were greeted by an extravaganza of wildflowers. Giant coreopsis painted the hills yellow and towered over meadow hikers. Purple lupine, Indian paintbrush, and California poppies created a kaleidoscope of color along our paths. Some of our group headed for a longer hike to one of the two groves of Torrey Pines that exist on the planet. Some of us took part in casual walks around the historical Vail and Vickers cattle ranch and along the coastal bluffs. And all of us searched for the elusive and adorable endemic Santa Rosa Island fox… and some of us found them!
After lunch we headed back to the island for specialized walks to focus on photography, search for foxes, and learn more about wildflowers.
