Yellow Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius)

On November 25, 2022February 28, 2023 By Sasquatch ShaneIn Foraging, Mushroom corner, Wilderness6 Comments

One of the first mushrooms of the fall is the delicious Yellow Chanterelle. A week or two after the first heavy fall rain small little yellow buttons will start appearing throughout the forest. Since this time of year coincides with hunting season in Oregon it is best for anyone out in the forest picking mushrooms to be wearing bright colors so they are not mistaken for a deer. This has always been one of my personal favorite mushrooms to look for, and is one of the easiest to find. But with every mushroom unless you are 100% certain of what you are picking DO NOT EAT IT! Now for a little about this treasure of the forest.

Since I love using Wikipedia for info here is a little bit of history and uses for this tasty treat:

“Though records of chanterelles being eaten date back to the 1500’s, they first gained widespread recognition as a culinary delicacy with the spreading influence of French cuisine in the 1700’s, where they began appearing in palace kitchens. For many years, they remained notable for being served at the tables of nobility. Nowadays, the usage of chanterelles in the kitchen is common throughout Europe and North America. In 1836, the Swedish mycologist Elias Fries considered the chanterelle “as one of the most important and best edible mushrooms.”

Chanterelles as a group are generally described as being rich in flavor, with a distinctive taste and aroma difficult to characterize. Some species have a fruity odor, others a more woody, earthy fragrance, and others still can even be considered spicy. The golden chanterelle is perhaps the most sought-after and flavorful chanterelle, and many chefs consider it on the same short list of gourmet fungi as truffles and morels. It therefore tends to command a high price in both restaurants and specialty store.”

Over the years I have dried, canned, pickled, and sautéed chanterelles in as many recipes as I can. Other mushrooms might be stronger flavored or different tasting, but this one is the easiest to find in large quantities. There are always several small stands of mushroom buyers around that will pay by the pound for these if you want to put in the time to find large amounts. The only thing about selling them that I never liked is that there is a subspecies of chanterelle that are white that the buyers will never take. I can’t tell any difference in taste between the two so that means more for me to enjoy. On a successful day I have found 20+ lbs of yellow chanterelles with only a few hours of searching.

Identification: The Yellow Chanterelle mushroom has a bright yellow to orange cap, which is funnel-shaped and wavy. The cap can grow up to 10 centimeters in diameter, and the stem is typically short and thick. The underside of the cap features gill-like ridges that run down the stem. These ridges are forked, blunt, and widely spaced.

Harvesting: Yellow Chanterelle mushrooms are typically harvested in the late summer and fall months. It is important to only harvest mature mushrooms with fully formed caps and gills. To prevent damage to the mycelium, it is recommended to cut the stem instead of pulling the mushroom out of the ground. Always carry a mushroom identification guide and ensure that you are not harvesting any toxic or poisonous mushrooms.

Cooking: Yellow Chanterelle mushrooms have a delicate, nutty flavor that pairs well with a variety of dishes. They can be sautéed, grilled, roasted, or added to soups and stews. These mushrooms also pair well with herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and sage.

For more detailed information please check out this link to the full Wikipedia article. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanterelle

Some of my favorite recipes:

Some great reference books:

All That the Rain Promises and More: A Hip Pocket Guide to Western Mushrooms by David Arora (smaller pocket guide that is excellent to use)

National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms (National Audubon Society Field Guides) (all inclusive but fairly large)

There are also several E-books that can be found on Kindle unlimited

We are an amazon affiliate so any support helps us make more video and articles. If there are any video subjects or articles you would like to see please comment to let us know

Fishing beyond the road – Central Oregon’s Crescent creek

On August 1, 2021July 30, 2021 By Sasquatch ShaneIn WildernessLeave a comment

Some places just ask to be explored. Be it the small headwaters of a stream or a remote stretch of a creek far from any roads. Todays adventure is the later of the two. For years I have heard my father talk about the canyon area of crescent creek, and the fish that he would catch. This was my day for a solo adventure of fishing and hiking. Little did I know what I was getting myself into.

For every trip I take like this I always have a checklist of things to bring with me. For anyone hiking remote areas you should always have a backup plan for emergency. The main three to always focus on are shelter, water, and food. And always in that order. There is no need to buy the fancy expensive hiking ones. But even something as simple as a life straw can mean the difference of being stranded and waiting for help and waiting for help and having any type of intestinal issues from drinking unpurified water.

Hydro backpack: https://amzn.to/3fc1nsO
Emergency Tent: https://amzn.to/3zYak13 This is a nice cheap and light emergency one
Garmin GPS watch: https://amzn.to/3rGMTX4 I use this on all hikes. It has a track back feature in case you ever get lost
Some type of emergency food even if it is only a couple granola bars
Water filter: https://amzn.to/2Vo0hmD or life straw: https://amzn.to/2UYmNmA

Crescent creek is a tributary of the little Deschutes river that flows through an assortment of meadows, canyons, and old growth pine trees. The area I am hiking through is part of the national wild and scenic rivers system. There are three species of trout that call this section of creek home. The native rainbow trout, and the two non-native brook and brown trout. From what I have seen the section of river from Highway 58 down to bridge by Crescent creek campground is primarily just rainbow trout.

Such a beautiful spot. I broke out my fly pole for this section of stream. It has been a long time since I have used it and really I should do more of it.

For the first half of my hike and fishing trip all was peaceful and relaxing. The first two mile of the stream is through a meandering stream bordered by willow and alders. After the first half mile or so all trace of people disappears and you either have to create your own trail or just walk through the water. For walking in any stream in Central Oregon I recommend tennis shoes and not any type of water sandals. Most of the streams have pumice and other lava rocks in them and if they get under a strap you will get blisters and cuts from them. I know this from experience sadly. About halfway through the meadow I was changing lures and a family of river otters came out of the grass about 10 feet from me. Once they saw me it was constant hissing from them until they swam upstream. Cute to see but I am glad they didn’t come out closer to me.

Near where the otters popped out of the grass. Wish I could have gotten a good picture of them before they swam off.

And now for the canyon part of the hike. Looking in from the edge of the meadow area looked nice and peaceful with a few rapids in view. Oh, this was so deceptive and so not peaceful. For the first 100 yards I caught a dozen fish or more and thought it was great. And then the rocks got bigger and were nearly impossible to go from one to another safely. No big deal I can just walk the edge around to each fishing hole. Nope that was not a good idea. The sides of the canyon are nearly strait up and the entire hillside has soft sandy dirt. On the positive side it is beautiful with old growth ponderosa pines growing. With the steep sides and no cell service my first thought was that if I fell and broke something that it would take days to find me. And then as I was going over a fallen tree, I saw what looked like dried blood on branches and across the log. What kind of hell did I get myself into? About 50 feet after seeing the blood I found a pile of fairly fresh black bear droppings. At least that gave me an idea of where the blood was from. Possibly a deer that was wounded by the bear.

I loved the beauty of this area, but with all the swift water, Rocks and heavy brush this area is extremely difficult to fish. The areas I could get to the water had plenty of small fish at least.

Finishing up the canyon and getting to an old road was such a great feeling. I don’t think I have been that tired in a long time. This was a beautiful hike but really it is a hike for the young. I am glad I did it once in my life. But this is the one and only time I will ever hike through the canyon.

We receive a small advertising fee for anything purchased through links. Any fees go to more fishing trips, videos, and blog posts

Hydropack: https://amzn.to/2UZBq9c
Camera used: https://amzn.to/32c6pyc
Camera accessories: https://amzn.to/2CPcYOx
My favorite ultralight pole https://amzn.to/3yakKKO
Garmin GPS tracker: https://amzn.to/3x7TsD9
Waterproof nylon band: https://amzn.to/3zRjkFd

*Amazon Affiliate links*

Fishing beyond the road – Salt creek

On July 26, 2021July 31, 2021 By Sasquatch ShaneIn Fishing, Wilderness2 Comments

Oregon has so many rivers, creeks, and lakes that are just off any road or path and just waiting to be explored. This is the first in a series of hiking off the road, and into wild to find fish and adventures. Maybe this series will even include a float or two using the kayak’s and fishing major rivers.

Video journey through the wilds

The first stop on my journey is to Salt creek. Salt creek is one of many tributaries to the Willamette river. Salt creek can really be divided into two different sections that can be fished. the first section is below Oregon’s third highest waterfall. This steep canyon area has little to no access until the creek comes out miles below and borders the highway. The lower section contains mainly native rainbow trout. For this fishing trip I focused on the area above the waterfall which is mainly meandering meadow areas. I say meadow area but really it is brushy, horribly brushy. The headwaters of Salt creek is Gold lake. The creek outflows the lake, and meanders several miles until it flows under the highway and enters a meadow area that is extremely brushy and difficult to get through. This is the target I picked for the day. yes I know it is a bit crazy, but all the small Brook trout are fun to catch

After several scratch’s I was able to push my way through the brush and mosquitos to a nice tranquil creek. Now the fishing can begin. Salt creek is currently open for the use of bait, with no restriction on size or quantity of brook trout kept. Brook trout preproduce in such high numbers here that they really overwhelm the available food. There are also native rainbows in the stream, but I have rarely caught any due to the large quantity of Brook trout that inhabit this stretch of creek.

Nearly the entire section of stream has heavy Alder and Willow brush. Be prepared to get scratched walking through it.

This section of stream has some deeper holes with lot of fallen logs creating hiding places for the fish.

All the fish I have ever caught in this section are small brook trout.

Over the years that I have fished in this area I have never caught a fish over 10 inches in length. There may be some in there, but they are few and far between to catch. The best way to catch them is to use small spinners or a fly pole. Whichever method you use though the brush along the stream can cause a lot of trouble placing the lure/fly where you want. You can use worms or other bait in this section, but with brook trout they tend to just swallow any food and the mortality rate on release is very high.

Garmin GPS tracker: https://amzn.to/3x7TsD9
Waterproof nylon band: https://amzn.to/3zRjkFd
Camera used: https://amzn.to/32c6pyc
Camera accessories: https://amzn.to/2CPcYOx
My favorite ultralight pole https://amzn.to/3yakKK

Shane’s outdoor fun is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any fee’s earned go back into making more fishing content.

Are Salal berries edible? Why yes they are!

On October 25, 2019August 3, 2021 By Sasquatch ShaneIn Foraging, WildernessLeave a comment

As summer hits it’s midpoint it is time to get ready for late summer berries. One of my favorites to forage for locally is salal berries. This native plant to the Pacific Northwest is usually seen in flower arrangements as decorating leaves. The leaves are thick and waxy and make a great color addition to flower arrangements everywhere. This plant is also a relative of the blueberry and produces a delicious berry. I eat it fresh and have used it to make wine and jam. The high pectin content of the berries does require some extra help to make a wine. Otherwise it will almost gel like a jam.

If you are interested in Foraging in the pacifc northwest please check out these books:

Foraging Oregon: Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Foods in Oregon: https://amzn.to/3jp40ZQ
Foraging Mushrooms Oregon: Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Mushrooms : https://amzn.to/3A30fzR
Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast: https://amzn.to/3yn4Pse
Backyard Foraging: 65 Familiar Plants You Didn’t Know You Could Eat: https://amzn.to/37wU1Mx

Its dark blue “berries” (actually swollen sepals like a blueberry) and young leaves are both edible, and are an effective appetite suppressant. Salal berries were a significant food resource for native people, who both ate them fresh and dried them into cakes. They were also used as a sweetener, and the Haida used them to thicken salmon eggs. The leaves of the plant were also sometimes used to flavor fish soup. More recently, Salal berries are used locally in jams, preserves and pies. They are often combined with Oregon-grape because the tartness of the latter is partially masked by the mild sweetness of Salal. There is so much naturally occurring pectin in the berry that when you make jam you do not need to add any to make it jell up. The jam is so dark that it is almost black in color.

The berries grow in rows along a main stem.

Salal occurs in such high numbers that the chance of seeing plants on a hike anywhere west of the Cascades in Oregon is almost guarantied. This year I intend to pick enough that I can try to make at least a gallon of wine out of them. But even if I don’t they are a good addition to yogurt throughout the year if you freeze them. Or a dark jam to add to yogurt. Have I ever mentioned I love yogurt?

The plants can be found from Northern California up into southeast Alaska. If it is in the that area there is some around. The flavor of the berry changes depending on the soil conditions. If you find a spot where they taste great remember to go back year after year for them.

Flowers and unripe berries — Flowers and a mix of ripe and unripe berries

The plant itself also has been used for medicinal purposes. Salal leaf has a long history as a medicine for wounds, coughs, colds and digestive problems. The Klallam, Bella Coola and Quileute People have chewed salal leaves, and spit them on burns and sores. The Samish and Swinomish People have used the leaves for coughs and tuberculosis, while the Quinault People have used them for diarrhea and flu-like symptoms. Herbalist, Michael Moore mirrors Northwest Native People’s uses of salal in Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West when he says that, “The tea is astringent and anti-inflammatory, both locally to the throat and upper intestinal mucosa, and through the bloodstream, to the urinary tract, sinuses and lungs.”

If you are ever in the mood to try a unique flavored berry I highly recommend salal as a delicious one. As my normal word of warning if you are not 100% sure of what you are eating do not eat it!

If there are any video subjects or articles you would like to see please comment to let us know.

A winter day fishing on Tahkenitch lake

On January 12, 2014October 3, 2019 By Sasquatch ShaneIn Fishing, WildernessLeave a comment

Early morning gloomy day to start out the day. It never cleared up on us.

Today was the day to test out the old Aluminium boat that I had donated to me. This should make the lakes more easily fished. I don’t mind fishing from shore, but the big fish just seem to be out reach of my cast. With all of the reservoirs drawn down for winter the only open lakes I could think of that might have some fish biting was the lakes on the mid-coast. So off we went to Takenitch lake. The lake was a bit on the murky side when we got there. The two inches of rain that fell Saturday probably had something to do with that. We trolled from the boat launch up one of the arms of the lake and only had one bite the entire way. Thinking that the murk in the water was making trout fishing a bit of a wash out we anchored off in a cove and did a bit of casting. And once more not a bite. So to kill some time and maybe catch a catfish we finally opted to use worms on the bottom. After another 15 minutes of only a single bite we were getting ready to call it a day and I finally got a bite and reeled in a 13 inch cutthroat trout. After 5 hours of fishing we got one fish! It may have been a long slow day on the lake but it was a good check of the boat and motors. No leaks on the boat which is good considering that it had been sitting in the woods for 7 years. It will need a paint job soon since a lot of paint is flaking. The electric trolling motor worked great. It had a lot more power than we thought it would. The little 2hp gas motor worked well even though it doesn’t go very fast. A little bit of a stutter to it every 30 seconds or so after it warmed up. Going to have to check the oil mix ratio. Might need to add a little more oil to the recommended mix to stop it from doing it. It was more annoying then anything else. I now have one fish in the freezer for 2014. Just need to catch a few more and it will be fish fry time. The boat opens up a lot more fishing areas for us now. And I can teach Katy to fish a bit easier.

The pole that wasn't catching anything most of the day. — The pole that wasn’t catching anything most of the day.

Both of decided to do a panorama at the same time. — Both of us decided to do a panorama at the same time.

the weird world of Coral mushrooms

On October 31, 2013October 7, 2019 By Sasquatch ShaneIn Mushroom corner, WildernessLeave a comment

Every year when I walk through the woods I see these odd shapes that remind me of a coral reef. Oregon is home to several different species of coral mushrooms and are well worth a minute to stop and look at them. So far on my journeys I have seen white, yellow, red, and purple corals growing in the coast range. There are several edible species of coral, but I have never picked or eaten any. Supposedly they are great to eat and some species are sold in markets. But with most mushrooms there are also some poisonous species. I don’t know anyone that has eaten them so I am most likely not going to try them. They are very common anywhere in the coast range so if you step off the road into the trees you are likely to find them. I snapped a couple pictures when I was looking for chanterelles.

A whitish-yellow coral. It was fairly large

Some great reference books:

All That the Rain Promises and More: A Hip Pocket Guide to Western Mushrooms by David Arora (smaller pocket guide that is excellent to use)

National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms (National Audubon Society Field Guides) (all inclusive but fairly large)

There are also several E-books that can be found on Kindle unlimited

We are an amazon affiliate so any support helps us make more video and articles. If there are any video subjects or articles you would like to see please comment to let us know

Lobster mushrooms

On October 27, 2013 By Sasquatch ShaneIn Foraging, Mushroom corner, WildernessLeave a comment

Strange looking mushroom but very tasty.

While wandering around the woods for chanterelles we came across several Lobster mushrooms. Why is it called a lobster mushroom you ask? It is because it is the color of a cooked lobster with the faint taste of seafood when you eat it. A lobster mushroom is not truly a mushroom, but is a parasitic ascomycete that grows on mushrooms, turning them a reddish-orange color that resembles the outer shell of a cooked lobster. It colonizes members of the genera Lactarius (Milk-caps) and Russula, such as Russula brevipes and Lactarius piperatus in North America. At maturity,it completely covers its host mushroom, rendering it unidentifiable. Lobster mushrooms are widely eaten and enjoyed; they are commercially marketed and are commonly found in some large grocery stores ( I have never seen them sold anywhere around here though). They have a seafood-like flavor and a firm, dense texture. According to some, they may taste somewhat spicy if the host mushroom is an acrid Lactarius. Even though the outer part is red the interior is a dense hard white color. unfortunately the ones that I found were too old to eat and had already started to have bugs eat them. But it is nice to find them so I can go back to the same location and look for them again.

Lobster mushrooms have a velvety texture when sautéed, not unlike cooked lobster, and their succulent meat hints pleasantly at seafood. Processing one can be a chore: Lobster mushrooms collect more than their share of dirt on a cap riddled with nooks and crannies. Don’t be afraid to scrub them hard, and then dice them up and saute with a little butter, cream and cognac to make a colorful duxelles.

Lobster mushroom just breaking the surface of the forest floor

Siuslaw river

On October 23, 2013 By Sasquatch ShaneIn Hiking/driving adventures, WildernessLeave a comment

One of my favorite rivers for all seasons is the Siuslaw River in western part of Oregon. The Siuslaw River is nearly 110 miles long. It drains an area of approximately 773 square miles in the Central Oregon Coast Range.

steep banks in places make for some interesting tree shapes

The river has historically been a spawning ground for Chinook and Coho salmon. And at one time was the only river in Oregon that had a higher return of salmon was the Columbia. Although the Chinook population is substantial, Coho numbers have declined from an annual average of 209,000 fish between 1889 and 1896 to just over 3,000 fish between 1990 and 1995. Since the early 1990’s the Coho have slowly been increasing in number, but they still have a long ways to go before returning to historic numbers. The estuary of the river is surrounded by extensive wetlands that are a significant habitat for migratory birds along the coast. It is one of the very few Western Oregon Rivers where all major forks are undammed.

There are lots of boulders throughout the lower river

During the summer months the river is a great place to swim and get away from the high heat of the Willamette valley. Even though the water can be very low there are many deep holes throughout the length of the river that can easily be over 10 feet deep. Also during the summer there a many crawfish that call the river home that can be easily collected and eaten. We made a crayfish alfredo one year that was wonderful. After the first heavy rains of fall the Chinook and Coho will start running up the river to their spawning grounds. Fishing is currently open for salmon until the middle of November. But always check online for updates and changes to the season and catch quota. As you move into winter and spring a very large run of Steelhead will run up the river. Most of them are hatchery fish that only go up as far as Whittaker creek.

The drive along the river is a beautiful one no matter what time of year you go. Enjoy the beauty of the coastal valleys and sample some of the fares of the wilderness.

Short stemmed Slippery Jack Mushroom

On October 16, 2013October 14, 2019 By Sasquatch ShaneIn Foraging, Mushroom corner, WildernessLeave a comment

Small cluster of slippery jack's — Small cluster of slippery jack’s

Sometimes you don’t even have to walk into the woods to find interesting mushrooms. I found these just outside the door at work growing under a small pine tree. Like many species of the genus Suillus, S. brevipes is edible, and the mushroom is considered choice by some. The odor is mild, and the taste mild or slightly acidic. Field guides typically recommend to remove the slimy cap cuticle, and in older specimens, the tube layer before consumption. Fact of the day: this mushroom is common in the diet of grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park. I have never eaten these or know of anyone that has. Even if I know it is edible I am very cautious of eating a new mushroom. Even if they are reported as edible there is always chances for them to react badly with the digestion. I passed on eating these and am sticking with eating my large amount of Chanterelle and King boletes that I have found so far this year. But in the interest of adding more mushrooms to my list of potential food I thought I would write about these. Listed below are a some great books that are of use when trying to identify a new mushroom species.

All That the Rain Promises and More: A Hip Pocket Guide to Western Mushrooms (perfect back pocket size)
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms (National Audubon Society Field Guides) (all inclusive but fairly large)
There are also several E-books that can be found on Kindle unlimited

Now some general info on this type of mushroom from wikipedia:

Habitat and distribution: Suillus brevipes grows singly, scattered, or in groups on the ground in late summer and autumn. A common, and sometimes abundant, mushroom, it occurs over most of North America (including Hawaii), south to Mexico, and north to Canada. This species has been found in Puerto Rico growing under planted Pinus caribaea, where it is thought to have been introduced inadvertently from North Carolina by the USDA Forest Service in 1955. Other introductions have also occurred in exotic pine plantations in Argentina, India, New Zealand, Japan, and Taiwan.

Suillus brevipes is a mycorrhizal fungus, and it develops a close symbiotic association with the roots of various tree species, especially pine. The underground mycelia form a sheath around the tree rootlets, and the fungal hyphae penetrate between the cortical cells of the root, forming ectomycorrhizae. In this way, the fungus can supply the tree with minerals, while the tree reciprocates by supplying carbohydrates created by photosynthesis. In nature, it associates with two- and three-needle pines, especially lodgepole and ponderosa pine. Under controlled laboratory conditions, the fungus has been shown to form ectomycorrhizae with ponderosa, lodgepole, loblolly, eastern white, patula, pond, radiata, and red pines. In vitro mycorrhizal associations formed with non-pine species include Pacific madrone, bearberry, western larch, Sitka spruce, and coast Douglas-fir. Fungal growth is inhibited by the presence of high levels of the heavy metals cadmium (350 ppm), lead (200 ppm), and nickel (20 ppm).
During the regrowth of pine trees after disturbance like clearcutting or wildfire, there appears an orderly sequence of mycorrhizal fungi as one species is replaced by another. A study on the ecological succession of ectomycorrhizal fungi in Canadian jack pine forests following wildfire concluded that S. brevipes is a multi-stage fungus. It appears relatively early during tree development; fruit bodies were common in 6-year old tree stands, and the fungus colonized the highest proportion of root tips. The fungus persists throughout the life of the tree, having been found in tree stands that were 41, 65, and 122 years old. There is, however, a relative reduction in the prevalence of the fungus with increasing stand age, which may be attributed to increased competition from other fungi, and a change in habitat brought about by closure of the forest canopy. Generally, S. brevipes responds favorably to silvicultural practices such as thinning and clearcutting. A 1996 study demonstrated that fruit bodies increased in abundance as the severity of disturbance increased. It has been suggested that the thick-walled, wiry rhizomorphs produced by the fungus may serve as an adaptation that helps it to survive and remain viable for a period of time following disturbance.

Not a very large type of bolete. The largest ones I saw were 4 inches at the most across on the cap

We are an amazon affiliate so any support helps us make more video and articles. If there are any video subjects or articles you would like to see please comment to let us know

Silver creek south falls and lower south falls

On September 1, 2013 By Sasquatch ShaneIn Hiking/driving adventures, WildernessLeave a comment

Silver creek has a total of 10 falls inside the state park. The trail of 10 falls is a mild 8.7 mile loop with only 600 ft elevation change. Next time I go I would like to do the entire loop. For this trip we only hiked the first two falls. It would have been a bit difficult once we got to the stair to take the strollers down to the base of lower south falls. The first 2 falls are an easy two-mile hike down and back that is very easy for children.

South falls as you hit the first fork in the path

Getting There: From Interstate 5 exit 253 in Salem, drive 10 miles east on North Santiam Highway 22, turn left at a sign for Silver Falls Park, and follow Highway 214 for 16 miles to the park entrance sign at South Falls.

The short hike: From the South Falls Picnic Area C parking lot, follow a broad path downstream a few hundred yards to historic Silver Falls Lodge, built by Civilian Conservation Corps crews in 1940. After inspecting this rustic stone-and-log building, continue a few hundred yards to an overlook of 177-foot South Falls. From here take a paved trail to the right. Then switch back down into the canyon and behind South Falls.

A few hundred yards beyond South Falls is a junction at a scenic footbridge. Don’t cross the bridge unless you’re truly tired, because that route merely returns to the car. Instead take the unpaved path along the creek. This path eventually switchbacks down and behind Lower South Falls’ broad, 93-foot cascade.