Off the 101 Freeway in Central California is one of the older National Park Service units. In 1908, Theodore Roosevelt named 2,500 acres of the Gabilan Mountains, made up of "rock spires and crags that are remnants of an ancient volcano," as the Park Service puts it. Today, Pinnacles National Monument is 26,000 acres and there's a campaign to designated it as a National Park. more ›

Further up north, two fires are affecting some of the most beautiful parts of California. The Meadow Fire has been burning in Yosemite National Park since Wednesday and the Gloria Fire, burning since Thursday near Soledad, is threatening parts of Pinnacles National Monument. more ›

Now with President Barack Obama talking about reinvigorating the econony and the job market, there's been a resurgance of an idea of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's: bringing back the Civilian Conservation Corps, the first "emergency agency" that he established. Now there's talk in Congress of bringing it back as part of Obama's economic stimulus plan, according to the LA Times. more ›

Today, Pinnacles National Monument begins its second 100 years. It's not exactly local to Los Angeles, but it's one of the many California wonders run by the National Park Service and here at LAist, we always encourage the exploration of the region and state. more ›