Southern California is dotted with dazzling natural wonders, sights, and true treasures, but few of our region's spots, even the most spectacular natural wonders, have doubled as other planets.
A vroom by Vasquez Rocks Natural Area, while driving along California State Route 14, can make a person feel like they're gliding past the surface of Vulcan, as seen in "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," or any number of fanciful far-off worlds seen on television and in films.
But the magnificent, incredibly dramatic formations, which are located in Santa Clarita, are very much of our planet, and visiting them without a rocket or saucer or even the Enterprise is entirely possible on any day of the year.
And an excellent day to do so, if you'd like to enjoy a lovely line-up of kid-fun activities, guided hikes, and information on local wildlife?
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A "Day at the Rocks" is forming on Saturday, April 30, offering a free line-up of in-the-sunshine, knowledge-deepening, get-out-and-move to-dos.
The four-hour festivity is presented by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, and the Vasquez Rocks Nature Center Associates.
A presentation of Fernandeño Tataviam tales and songs will be a central part of the celebration, in addition to nature-oriented outings and a line-up of "interactive booths and displays."
Crafts for taking home and other engaging to-dos will weave through the midday merriment, which is on from 10 a.m. to 2 o'clock.
The outdoor gathering is indeed happening over lunchtime, but you can stay for a snack, as food trucks are scheduled to stop by, and vendors, too.
And a separate Vasquez Rocks event is coming up in May, if you're completely enamored with the destination, as so many Southern Californians are, and would like to volunteer.
Docents are needed, and at the training sessions, which will take place on Saturdays from May 7 through June 11, prospective volunteers will learn about "history, geology, plants, and wildlife" of the extraordinary area.
Want to learn more? No galactic journey, to a distant planet, is required; simply start here.
