I’m concentrating on California parks this week, because many of them are still very accessible this time of year, and many of them are fascinating, too. Take Manzanar, for example. I’ve visited this area several times, and for some reason it fascinates me, even though its’ history is a sad one. Manzanar is located about nine miles north of Lone Pine, CA, on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada, on Highway 395. In other words, it’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere.

That’s just why it exists, because Manzanar was a relocation camp for Southern California Japanese Americans during World War II. That’s why its history always makes me sad, and a little angry, too. And yet, the location is starkly beautiful, and something always compells me to stop on my trips up and down 395 to Southern California.

Manzanar has undergone quite a few changes, so if you haven’t visited for a while, it’s time. There’s a visitor center now, with a history of the camp, and there is a restored sample “house” as well. There’s also a self-guided auto tour, that takes you on a 3.2 mile journey through the camp. Visiting Manzanar is a haunting experience, but one you shouldn’t miss.