Waterfalls and Snow in Canyon Creek

Shasta-Trinity National Forest

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Daniil claimed he could get my snowshoes used rather than just floating around in the eternally not quite unpacked car. To that end, we headed up Canyon Creek, with Jeff, aiming at the snowed areas. Both have been up this trail at various times earlier in the year. It crosses largish Bear Creek almost right at the trailhead and I insisted on seeing what it was like the evening before to be confident about the return crossing the next evening when the day would be even warmer. It wasn't that impressive. It is big, so even at lower morning levels, it is a wide wet foot crossing. I elected to wait until after crossing to actually put on my boots and waterproof socks. My water crossers got stashed under a rock at the far side and we took off on rocky ground.

Sun hitting the far side of the canyon and the peaks above.

The Bear Creek crossing is made annoying by the logs in it, but it was no more than halfway to the knees and still below the knees in the evening.

Waterfalls on the far side.

It's actually a couple miles to see the first snow on the ground and then snow on trail.

Snow in a sheltered patch.

I was surprised to see that there's a substantial trail from a signed junction for "The Sinks", a place where the Forest Service map indicates Canyon Creek pours into the ground and back out again a short while later. It might be an interesting stop. The trail actually seems to go to the pour out. Seeing what that is like would have to wait, because we got to climbing with the longer trail.

High above Canyon Creek.

That did put us in view of one of one thing the canyon is known for: the big waterfalls on the main creek.

Zoomed in on the big waterfall in the picture above.

But the trail was going further up.

Winding upward on the rocky trail.

Crossing a tributary with a little bit of a cascade/waterfall on it.

We didn't get to see the above waterfall on Canyon Creek up close, but it has some smaller, but still substantial, drops just above it that we did get a good look at.

Chunky waterfall above. Still taller than I am.

A closer viewpoint for just the plunge.

And all that energy at the bottom.

The downstream view.

Our second viewpoint was in the misty spray of the waterfall.

Some of the thick topping of ice on the local budding foliage.

When we turned back to the trail from the waterfall, we met the snow. It blobbed over the trail at least 4 feet thick and barely let up after that. Sunglasses and microspikes went on, but the snow was judged solid enough that it wasn't worth the bother of putting on snowshoes that would then weigh down each step versus sometimes sinking in.

It is certainly sunglasses time as the trail hits snow.

The evidence of an avalanche finishing its course through the wilderness.

Checking on Canyon Creek and a snow covered meadow beyond.

On trail, sort of. We didn't climb down the 5 foot edge to actually travel it.

Lots of rock across the canyon above the surging creek.

Plenty of snow on this side, even by another little waterfall on a tributary.

Traveling fairly flat trail along fairly flat creek for a bit.

There's a lot of extra up and down with the lumpy snow.

And a messy crossing of a tributary along the way.

Another waterfall up ahead, but among the trees from the trail.

We took the side trail to get to the next waterfall as Canyon Creek finishes (or maybe more accurately starts) being a fairly flat creek for a mile or so.

A look at the waterfall without all the trees at the sides.

A different view from the rocks toward the bottom.

The big falls portion of the big waterfall.

There's much churning of the water as it flattens out after the waterfall.

After a bit of lunching at the waterfall, we headed off to find the climbing trail. There was actually a lot of dirt as it climbed upward, which was annoying with microspikes, but would have been worse with snowshoes. Toward the top, differences of opinion arose with the footprints as to where the trail goes.

On trail passing the sign at the junction for Boulder Lakes.

Some challenge to cross a stream with snow bank added to its regular bank.

Getting snowier again as we climb the trail with lovely rock steps.

A look down Canyon Creek from near the upper falls.

Now looking down at the upper cascades, above where the water sheets and then tumbles more, with a look toward other canyons such as that with Boulder Lakes.

A shorter sheet of water into a pool.

And a closer look at the bigger of the waterfalls in this upper area.

I looked at the snow covered hill above and thought about how my legs felt and decided it was a good place to turn around if I didn't want to feel too bad in the morning. I've only been to this popular bit of the Trinity Alps once and, while that was at this trailhead, it involved doing trail work up a different trail. I was feeling pretty satiated for new sights. The fellows had been up the canyon earlier in the season and were very much wanting to continue on. It should only take a couple hours. Worry after three. And they headed off for a higher lake.

Daniil headed up that snowy hill.

Not that I could sit there and nibble on my snacks for very long. I got bored in this little spot and started poking around the various waterfalls and cascades and massive sheeting water for nice shots. Besides, there was a very active ant hill at one edge of a fairly clear camping area and everywhere not separated by at least a finger of snow was crawling with the chunky critters.

At the top of the massive sheet of water.

The more waterfall (and waterfall and waterfall) section of the creek.

Get below the sheeting and it looks like a bit more of waterfall.

The water gets a little less like a sheet as the granite slab gets steeper.

Yep, more waterfalls.

And down to the big pool below.

And my attention turned to the canyon as well.

Well, the canyon joining the canyon, perhaps.

There's more waterfalls hidden away up there.

Details of the snow show failures of its packing and cracks suggesting more weaknesses.

Detail of the sheeting water across the granite.

More water textures that delighted me.

The alders were even beginning to flower, although nothing else.

Some of those surprisingly active ants on their well sun warmed ant hill.

I poked around a bit in the snow and found the top of the trail by the "no campfires above this point" sign. Some backpackers came down and asked if the patch of dirt was available as there was nothing free of snow above. I warned them about the ants, they started collecting fire wood. I warned them about the campfire regulations, they grunted but were secure in their ignorance and continued to do their part to keep the local ecology out of balance. Funny thing, dead and downed wood actually plays a part in a healthy ecosystem. I suppose I should be happy they weren't hacking at live trees? There was plenty of evidence of that even greater ignorance around.

A much abused and ignored sign. Incidentally, there are camp sites just below this sign where there's plenty of wood and a campfire is legal most the time. Above it, have the courage to camp without a fire for once.

Just over three hours after they left, the fellows made it back. Shadows crept up the near side of the canyon as we headed down. A little further, the sun dropped down behind the Earth.

There the shadows go, up and up some more.

We had some excitement when two pairs of eyes came down the hill toward us. Perhaps deer, said one. "Eyes at the front," said I, supporting a conclusion I failed to state. In the scaleless night, I figured they were raccoons until they resolved themselves into bears and the other two finally figured out I meant they were predators. I think they were headed for the trail behind us, but Daniil maintains one was charging and gave them a booming voice that certainly put an end to that if they were.

The faintest color for sunset.

After that, the only excitement was getting across Bear Creek. It was higher, but not by much. My waterproof socks felt like they might be letting a little water through at the toes. I decided to just retrieve my creek crossers from under their rock and cross in my boots. The socks were certainly wet on the inside after that. I never got to find out if they'd done their job perfectly or not, but it was getting late.

*photo album*




©2025 Valerie Norton
Written 27 June 2025