On the far end of the meadow there is a small riparian habitat that sometimes shelters unique and beautiful animal species. I feel lucky when I hear and observe the raucous behavior of the pileated woodpecker and the lilting summer song of the elusive olive-sided flycatcher. Seasonally, the meadow offers up wave after wave of brightly colored wildflowers: azalea, baby blue-eyes, poppy, clarkia, lupine, madia, pinedrop, lessingia… the names roll off my tongue as if I am naming off familiar friends. The beauty and serenity beckon, I am grateful for and ever curious of the natural world around me as I pass through this landscape.
The National Park Service is offering, on limited summer days, a "Run with a Ranger" program through the Wawona Meadow. Lace up your running shoes and join an exploration of this beautiful and precious resource.
Check at the Wawona Visitor Center to find out which days the Run with a Ranger program will be offered.