On my most recent visit to Anderson Marsh State Historic Park on Clear Lake, I had the boardwalk almost entirely to myself. The morning was already warming up, but a small group of state park workers had clearly been working for hours under a tent beside the trail leading out toward Cache Creek. At first I wasn’t sure what they were doing, but it soon became clear they were cutting boards and carting them out to replace worn-out sections of the boardwalk. Although this portion of the trail isn’t especially long, it occurred to me that this maintenance must be a never-ending job!

I could hear birds all around me, including Stellar jays, Red-wing blackbirds, and even an owl. But trying to capture them with my camera proved frustrating, and since I was determined to enjoy my escape to this beautiful nature spot, I gave up and just soaked it all in.

End of the trail

At the far end of the boardwalk, the trail continues along Cache Creek for a bit farther; however, on this occasion I found that the season’s rains had brought the creek level up and covered the trail. Since I hadn’t brought my rubber boots, I had no choice but to turn back. Even though I was a little disappointed, I do think it’s better to see the wetlands saturated than all dried out in the springtime.