A few weeks ago on my return trip from the deserts of Nevada, I detoured to a small town where I once worked as a wildlife biologist for the US Forest Service (my first job out of college). McCloud is a small historic town with a population of about 1,000 located in the Shasta Cascade. One of the highlights of this area is the McCloud River which is known for its trout fishing and three waterfalls (Upper, Middle, and Lower). I spent a lot of time at the Middle Falls when I was living here. Middle Falls was the most popular hangout because it had a large swimming hole which the falls poured into. Back then there was no parking lot and just a rugged dirt trail down to the falls. Times have changed and now there is a paved parking lot with restrooms, and a well maintained trail with two overlooks down to the falls. I camped nearby that night and awoke early in the morning to hike the mile or so from my campsite to the falls to capture the sun as it rose above the falls. I was rewarded with a clear morning sky and the sun at just the right angle to create this image, a beautiful reminder of a special place from years ago.
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