Should you happen to find yourself in the middle of the desert, somewhere around the southern end of Death Valley, and come upon a little town by the name of Shoshone, California you'll have an opportunity to see a very unique form of housing that was once used quite a number of years ago.
The miners and prospectors who once worked this area had a difficult time building any type of permanent housing. Taking a look around this burnt desert landscape and it's easy to see why. You'll notice a distinct absence of any type of building materials. No trees and very little water to make adobe bricks with.
Well this lack of building materials didn't deter these hardy souls. Some imaginative individual decided to dig his home into the base of a hard dirt cliff. Not only did this keep him out of the elements, but this natural insulation kept him warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Apparently quite a few other folks thought this was a great idea and today you can see the results of their efforts.
Once they'd dug themselves a simple cave that just wouldn't do. They layed in wooden floors, dug windows and installed shutters. They added chimneys, stairs to second levels and even garages.
No one knows for sure when they began to excavate these homes but it was probably around the 1870s when nearby silver mines were being worked. People continued to occupy these homes as late as the 1970s.
State Route 127 & 178 come to a T just outside of Shoshone. Park at the head of the T then hike west into the desert for about a quarter mile into the gulch you can't miss all the cave homes.
If you enjoy wind swept rocky bluffs and the smell of ocean air you'll love this place. There's something about standing on a rocky cliff with the ocean pounding away at the rocks and the wind blowing through your hair that I find so relaxing. It's almost as if I've become one with nature if only for a short time.
The original lighthouse at Point Arena was built in 1870. In 1906 an earthquake destroyed this lighthouse and the one that stands now was erected in 1908.
There is a small gift shop here.They offer a guided tour which consist of pointing out a few odds and ends in their small museum, which is also located in the same building as the gift shop.
The tour price allows you to climb up to the top of the lighthouse where you are met by another guide who tells you some of the history and points out some of the sights. I thought this was the most interesting part of the tour.
The view from the top of the lighthouse is phenomenal and was well worth the price of the tour. I can only imagine what the view must be from up there during a storm with really rough seas.
In 1992 Mel Gibson & Jamie Lee Curtis starred in a movie called Forever Young. The movie had several scenes with the lighthouse. A great movie, by the way, if you've never seen it.
I didn't know it at the time but they have lodging right there at the lighthouse. If I was ever up that way again I'd definitely plan to spend a night or two there.
While driving along the Pacific Coast Highway in Big Sur, which if you've never done you really need to do, we saw a bunch of cars pulled over on both sides of the road. This looked like a happening place. Something was definitely going on here.
It seems we had inadvertently discovered McWay Falls, one of the most photographed areas in Big Sur.
McWay Falls is an 80 foot waterfall that flows year round. This waterfall is what is known as a tidefall meaning it falls directly into the sea.
It's a very short hike, less than a quarter of a mile, from the highway down a dirt trail to the best viewing area. The view just gets better and better the closer you get to the end of the little trail.
This place is definitely worth a stop if you're passing by. I thought this was one of highlights of our drive in Big Sur.
If you're passing by the area it's definitely worth the detour.
Just don't visit the Grand Canyon First. It tends to make this big hole look like a little hole.