Mojave Trails National Monument

As New Year’s Eve 2018 approached, the spokesman for Joshua Tree National Park had some surprising advice for would-be visitors: Maybe don’t stop by.

“When it is every bit as crowded as the Santa Monica Freeway at rush hour, that kind of takes away from the whole wilderness park experience,” park spokesman George Land told a local paper, noting that lines to enter the park were a mile long.

Fortunately, the Mojave Desert is a vast expanse, and Joshua trees flourish across much of the region. For folks seeking desert solace without the crowds, the Obama administration created the Mojave Trails National Monument in 2016, protecting 1.6 million acres of federal land. The park features the pristine Cadiz sand dunes, the almost-ghost-town of Amboy, and veritable fields of cactuses and Joshua trees — all without the traffic or Venice Beach bros ruining your solitude.

Encinitas

No one is saying we shouldn’t be concerned about climate change. The repercussions from our wanton burning of fossil fuels are being felt in Houston and Florida and around the world.

But last summer, as water temperatures in Southern California shattered records, it was almost possible to look on the bright side of the end of the world. The beach towns north of San Diego — which generally experience glorious weather and moderate water temperatures to begin with — experienced 45 “trunkable days” from July to mid-August, according to the surf forecasting site Surfline. Any day with water temperatures above 70 degrees, the Surfline figured, was warm enough for surfers to spend hours in the breakers without wetsuits.

Encinitas, a charming beach community 25 miles north of San Diego, is perfectly designed for a sandy weekend. The surf and snorkeling are excellent near Cardiff Reef, beach camping can’t be beat at San Elijo State Beach, and the town has enough amenities to keep land lovers happy, from St. Archer Brewing Co.’s tap house to the San Diego Botanical Gardens.

Mono Lake

It’s hard to pinpoint the exact age of a lake. But Mono, a sprawling inland sea just east of Yosemite, is one of the oldest in North America. Its 70 square miles of water have occupied this spot for somewhere between 760,000 and 3 million years.

In that time, geography and human thirst have transformed the lake into one of the most interesting landscapes in the west — a moonscape that can serve as an antidote to the almost-tooperfect lakes and ponds in Yosemite, just over the pass.

A hike along Mono is a unique one. For millennia, the lake, which has no outlet, has been collecting minerals, which formed craggy limestone towers underwater. After the city of Los Angeles tapped the lake’s water sources in the ’40s, the water level dipped and these strange tufa stalagmites now dot the lake. It’s well worth a quick walk or a long day hike.

But despite its longevity, Mono Lake’s future may be in jeopardy.

Mono is uniquely threatened by drought and climate change, says Alex Hall, director of the Center for Climate Science at UCLA. Despite efforts to wean ourselves off its source waters and increase its water levels, the lake is suffering. Dust storms are blowing off the newly uncovered sandy banks, and a land bridge to an island favored by nesting gulls has exposed the birds to threats from local predators. The city of Los Angeles is required to keep the water level in the lake steady, Hall says, but climate change will likely make this difficult.

“Go see this place now,” Hall says, “because it’s the poster child for how you manage a natural resource in vexing, changing times.”

Big Sur

In May 2017, 75 acres of earth slid down the Santa Lucia range, swallowing a stretch of Highway 1 and cutting off much of Big Sur from the rest of the world. In the 14 months of limited access that followed, businesses and hotels suffered mightily, says Mike Dawson, a former editor at Wine Enthusiast who now helps local brands boost tourism in the region.

But after what seemed like a lifetime, Highway 1 reopened last summer, and Big Sur — the stretch of eye-wateringly beautiful coastline between San Simeon and Carmel — is now open for business.

And good news, Dawson says: “Winter is the best time to come. It’s warmer than San Francisco — you can still go to the beach.” Plus, beleaguered tourist-dependent businesses are offering deals on lodging and other accommodations.

Take a trek down 1, stopping for hikes in Big Sur or lunch the Big Sur Road House, then make your way to San Simeon to soak up the sleepy Central Coast beach vibe with a night at the Cavalier Inn overlooking the Pacific.

Mammoth

It can be hard for a Northern Californian to admit, but Mammoth Lakes features some of the best skiing