High Desert Bushcraft Skills: California Chaparral Hiking, Foraging, and Animal Signs.

Hiking off trail in the high desert California chaparral, exploring animal sign, and exploring wild edible plants like yucca. These are the high desert bushcraft and survival skills that are the basis of making spending time in the California chaparral more enjoyable.

In this video, I hike my local hills in California. This environment is considered the chaparral, which is a mix of highly dense oak shrubs and high desert plants. I've lived my whole life in this type of environment and have picked up a few tips and tricks over the years. While I can't identify every plant there is here, there are a few key ones that are plenty useful.

The yucca, or lord's candle, is unmistakable and can be used for food, soap, cordage, fire, needle & thread, and so much more. This is a safe and fun food source when being introduced to wild edible plants of California. It's unmistakable when venturing into foraging in socal.

Sagebrush has both sanitary and medicinal uses. Hopefully, this video teaches you high desert bushcraft skills and increases your confidence in high desert survival.

Remember, always bring plenty of water.