McCloud River Preserve

Click Here For Full Screen Photo Slideshow

These photos were taken at the Nature Conservancy preserve along the McCloud River, north of Redding, CA (near the town of McCloud). My dad and I visited her in 2004 as part of a camping trip. It was the first time I chose to photograph instead of fish, as I felt I could either do both poorly or do one well. It was, as it turned out, a great decision. These photos are some of the finest I've ever taken.

The day started out beautiful. We drove through winding dirt roads to arrive at the McCloud River Preserve parking area. From there, we followed the foot trail one-third mile to the preserve headquarters. This is where you sign in and start your hike back along the McCloud.

The wildlife and scenery were amazing, as you can see from the photos. The photos have not be retouched in Photoshop in any way. I think this is an example of what's possible when an organization like the Nature Conservancy limits the amount of human impact.

I continued to snap photos throughout the day and into early afternoon. When we arrived at the park boundary, 3 miles from the headquarters, I stopped to do some reading while my dad fished. about an hour later, I noticed the sky getting darker and the clouds more numerous. Then we heard the ominous sound of thunder in the distance. We decided it was probably time to get back to the vehicle, as the only rain gear we had were emergency ponchos we carry. We were only a few minutes into our return hike when the sky opened up. Thankfully, the cheap emergency poncho's kept us relatively dry. We eventually had to seek shelter in a grove of trees when the heavy rain turned to pea shaped hail. I'd say the rain lasted at least 45 minute before it finally stopped, leaving us hiking through a dripping, misty forest.

Ironically, the most beautiful scene we witnessed that day was not captured in a photograph. As we hiked through the misty trail along the river, my dad turned to say something to me and suddenly pointed skyward. A lone bald eagle flew slowly and majestically above us, following the McCloud, as he searched for dinner. My camera, of course, was stowed safely in my backpack, underneath the poncho, so there was no chance of capturing it on film. But part of me was glad to have been able to enjoy that moment without worrying about shutter speeds or f stops.

The Nature Conservancy (a nonprofit group whose purpose is to preserve and protect various ecosystems in their native form) operates this conservancy. It is open to the public for day use and up to 10 catch-and-release fishermen per day (see web site below for reservations).

(For more information and directions to the preserve, click on the link below:
http://nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/california/preserves/art9786.html

Mike's Recommendations (if you decide to visit):

• Make reservation if you plan to fish: If you're not a fisherman, no reservation is required. If you plan to fish, reservations can be made through the Conservancy's San Francisco office: 201 Mission Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105; phone (415) 777-0487.


• Haul a log or two: At the parking area, there is a pile of firewood. Be kind and haul a few piece back to the headquarters 1/3 mile down the trail. Everything must be packed in, so they really appreciate it.
  


• Bring Rain Gear: Given my experience on this trip, I highly recommend packing a small, emergency poncho on this or any trip in the sierras. I carried mine for years before ever needing it, but it saved me from being soaked to the bone this time.
  


• Cars Not Recommended: The roads going back to the preserve are muddy and I probably wouldn't risk it in a car. Four wheel drive isn't a must, but sure wouldn't hurt.
  


• Be Wary of Mountain Lions: While we didn't see any, the visitor book mentioned numerous sitings. This is a very wild areas, so definitely a good idea to be aware of your surroundings.
  

Enjoy the photos and let me know if you have any questions!

------------------------------------------

Click Here For Full Screen Slideshow (recommended)

Individual Photos (33 photos)

Driving Directions (see McCloud Preserve site for more precise directions)

McCloud Preserve Web Site

Nature Conservancy Web Site

Note: To use any photo as a screen background: 1) Go to Individual Photos link above 2) Go to that individual photo , 3) Click on the magnifying glass in upper right corner, then 4) Right-click and set as your background.