If you've ever needed motivation to try a night hike, then Saturday morning's full lunar eclipse is certainly a good reason to hit the trail.

Especially if you live west of the Mississippi River: The best views will be from California, the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, and Alaska.

The eclipse will begin at 3:33 a.m. PST with totality coming at 6:06 and lasting for 51 minutes. Because the moon will still be in eclipse while it is low in the sky and setting in many areas, it will appear especially large. So look for a spot with an unobstructed view of the western horizon.

In addition to following night hiking safety tips, dress for cold conditions. The time before dawn is usually the coldest time of day.

For more information, NASA offers a website with facts and details about the lunar eclipse.

Originally set to close in July 2012 because of budget cuts, California's Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve will remain open thanks to a new agreement.

California State Parks announced that The Bodie Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting Mono Lake and other Eastern Sierra natural and cultural landmarks, will begin collecting fees at the site. The revenues generated will go to the reserve's continued operation and maintenance.

Located near the eastern end of Yosemite National Park just off U.S. Highway 395, Mono Lake is one of North America's oldest lakes. The lake is most famous for its distinctive tufa towers, the surreal limestone formations found along the shoreline. Mono Lake is also a major stopover spot for migratory birds and a major nesting area for California gulls.

While such icons as Point Lobos State Natural Reserve near Carmel were unaffected, a plan announced in May slated 70 California parks for closure because of funding shortfalls. Since then, three Northern California parks were saved thanks to a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service.

Photo by Matt Jaffe © 2011

Okay, there's no official starting date for the desert hiking season. But I always think of December 1 as the beginning of prime time in the California desert.

My first stop is going to be Joshua Tree National Park. Just a couple hours east of Los Angeles, Joshua Tree offers hiking trails that show off the true diversity of the desert. Joshua Tree ranges in elevation between 900 and more than 5000 feet and sits in a transition zone between the Mojave and the Colorado desert.

So not only can you explore the park's iconic Joshua Tree forests and remarkable boulder formations, you can also hike to oases of native California fan palms.

Joshua Tree is still recovering from flash flooding during a September storm. But the damaged Pinto Basin Road and the Cottonwood Visitor Center off Interstate 10 in the park's southeast corner have reopened, although a few trails remain closed.

Photo © Matt Jaffe, 2011

After being badly damaged by wildfire and flooding this summer, most of Bandelier National Monument's trails have reopened for hiking.

Closures will continue on two of Bandelier's most popular trails. The series of ladders that lead up to Alcove House have yet to reopen and the hard-hit Falls Trail remains closed beyond the Upper Falls overlook.

According to the park service, roughly 60 percent of Bandelier's 33,000 acres burned in June's devastating Las Conchas Fire. The blaze's damage was then compounded by flash floods that washed out sections of many trails.

While much of the monument in New Mexico has reopened, Bandelier officials are urging hikers to be especially cautious on trails. Erosion and falling trees pose hazards, and hikers should expect rugged conditions throughout the monument.

Bandelier National Monument is located about an hour northwest of Santa Fe.

NPS Photo