For a grand ol’ leaf-kickin’ frolic, late fall is definitely the time to take a hike on Waters Gulch Trail. The colors are glorious right now, and the first section of upper trail along the creek never disappoints with its diversity of ferns and mosses.
Photo taken December 1, 2024, by Don Burk.
We very often have this underused trail just north of Redding all to ourselves, and this Sunday hike was no different. No other cars were at the trailhead, nary a soul was on the trail, and not a boat was in sight on Lake Shasta. Even Packer’s Bay Marina had minimal activity. Only as we started the trudge up the road, from the lower trailhead to the upper trailhead at the end of our hike, were we joined by a couple of hikers and their dogs who were just getting started.
This is the perfect trail on which to celebrate the end of autumn in all its glory. But do it now, before the rains and before all the leaves come down! Click the link in the first paragraph for trail details, and Get Out! ~Laurie & Don Burk
