Plumas features all weather trails of beauty
Four seasons of beauty and outdoor sports activity are available in Plumas County. I have done the majority of my admiration from the vantage point of a seat of one sort or another: the seat of my truck, seat of my motorcycle or the seat of a kayak. It’s time for me to get off my … seat and get out there. I love wild weather of all kinds: snow, rain and wind. So, with proper gear it shouldn’t be a problem.
In this series I intend to venture off on foot to get up close and personal with some of our local hotspots. I will start with the simplest and most easily accessible.
A classic is the Cascades Trail. With winter rain coming down, water “cascades” more dramatically with each storm as it travels from Oakland Camp through to Old Highway Road, where the trail begins.
Access to the trailhead can be achieved from either end of Old Highway Road as it begins and ends at junctures with Highway 70.
I have found some colorful and interesting mushrooms growing right along the road as I walked to the trailhead so keep your eyes peeled for color.
One of my favorite things about the Cascades Trail is not necessarily the sights, but the sounds. The powerful thunder or high-pitched rushing of the water making its way can be exhilarating. I take my dogs along, which can be a little worrisome because the water can be so swift and the current so strong.
The improvements in the walking bridges are wonderful. It’s hard to imagine a crew bringing in bags of cement and wood to make such improvements, but there they are.
Recent storm activity has provided additional moisture for a burst of greenery in the mosses and deciduous trees and much of the trail seems relatively level.
There are a few spots where the trail hugs the mountain so closely that in my childlike mind I can imagine myself traveling along the Appalachian Trail or in South America somewhere. Well that may be stretching it a bit but thoughts like that are entertaining. Plumas County is probably as close as I will get to Appalachia, Chile or Argentina.
I’m envious. I live near San Diego and even after some rain filled winter storms there are few flowing rivers or streams. My sister lives in Plumas county part of the year but I haven’t visited in years.
Tom Klimek
Lemon Grove, California
Terrific story, Erin! Love the photos and your unique perspective. Great job. : )
Thanks for the tip! Please in the future give details like description of steepness, length of trail, etc., to help us decide if it is right for us.