Road Side Stops Along Highway 199 ~ Smith River

We stopped a couple of times

along the Smith River ~highway 199 

to let the pup out and take in the views.

Looks are a bit deceiving,

but this group of redwood trees

  is as wide as our car.

This second photo is the 

same trees, but looking up.

You can't see the tops of the trees.

We  stopped  here

because Liberty let us know

in no uncertain terms  that 

we'd better stop here and now!

Turns out it was just 

the right place to pull off 

the highway and explore for a bit.

It had a dirt road to get down

to the Smith River bed.

The riverbed is dry on this side,

but across the way,  near the houses  

the river is flowing to the ocean.

We used to pull these plants 

apart at the joints when we were kids.

 I don't remember the name of this plant.

Anyone know?

They usually grown along riversides

underneath the tree canopy.

Our second stop along 

the Smith River was further inland.

"The Smith River 

is on the Pacific coast

of Northern CA. 

It drains a rugged area 

of the Pacific Coast Ranges

west of Siskiyou Mountains

 just south of the Oregon boarder

 and north of the watershed 

of the Klamath River. 

 The catchment area is 719 square miles.

 It is the second largest river system 

in California that flows freely 

along its entire 25 mile course,

after the South Fork Trinity River.

 It was named

 for the explorer Jedediah Smith."

source: Wikipedia

  

Here you can see just how clean 

and clear the beautiful serpentine water is.

Is it any wonder why it takes 

us so long to get to our destination?

What should be a five hour drive

to or from our family on the coast

often turns into a seven hour trip.

Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend, 

and enjoy your roadside stops along the way.