Rocks and ruins

Whenever we head over to Clear Lake, our normal route of travel is via Interstate 5 to Williams, then east on Highway 20. But driving home a few years ago I decided to explore a less direct option — Highway 16, which splits off from Highway 20 to wind alongside Bear and Cache creeks and through the Capay Valley before arriving in Woodland. Driving through small farming communities like Guinda and Brooks reminds me that there are so many areas of Northern California that I’ve never seen or heard of before, and still so many unfamiliar trails to explore. During my trip home in March 2022, I didn’t have time to check out the trail at this particular spot, but I did spend some time poking among the ruins of the old highway bridge, scattered along the banks of Bear Creek.