Clare Marie Hodges

Clare Marie Hodges (1890–1970) was one of the first paid female rangers for the National Park Service, working at Yosemite National Park.

Early life Clare Marie Hodges was born in Santa Cruz in 1890. She first visited Yosemite Valley at age 14 on a 4-day horse-riding trip with her family.

Hodges attended and graduated from the San Jose Normal School (now San Jose State University) where she helped contribute to the herbarium. She also was the president of the literary society and authored "Songs of the Trail. "

Career In 1916, Hodges began teaching at the Yosemite Valley School as a grade school teacher. She wore a park service badge and Stetson hat and had the same duties as her male colleagues, but refused to carry a gun. Clare Marie Hodges was the only fully commissioned female park ranger for 30 years.

Personal life Hodges married Peter Wolfsen, a mariposa cattle rancher, and took on his last name. She remained active in the Mariposa community by guiding groups throughout the Yosemite region. She and her husband were both active at Camp Wawona, operated by the Seventh-Day Advent Church. Clare became the camp's first naturalist.

She died in 1970 at age 89. In honor of her and her husband's contributions to the Mariposa community, a nature trail was named in their honor.