Big Basin SP, Boulder Creek, Bear Creek Vista Point

On 27th May 2024, my parents and I drove took a trip to Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz County, CA. We also dropped by Bear Creek Vista Point in Los Gatos, CA and the town of Boulder Creek, CA. I hope you enjoy viewing my photos!

High Resolution Photos: If you want to see high resolution photos of any of the photos you see here, use the following links. If you wish to purchase prints of any of the photos, please contact me here. To view my best Los Gatos, CA photos, use this link. To see all of my photos from Los Gatos, CA, use this link. To see all of my photos from Boulder Creek, CA, use this link. To see all of my photos from Big Basin State Park, use this link.

Our first stop was Bear Creek Vista Point in Los Gatos, CA. The view of the mountains and forest was amazing!

A scenery photo of Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest and Wild Mustard Flowers (bottom right). The photo was shot at Bear Creek Vista Point in Los Gatos, CA.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google): 37° 10' 02" N 122° 02' 03" W

A black and white process of the photo above.

A scenery photo of Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest, and Wild Mustard Flowers & Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) (bottom right). The photo was shot at Bear Creek Vista Point in Los Gatos, CA.

The photo was shot at the same spot as above.

A photo of Wild Mustard Flowers (left), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) (right), and Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest (background). The photo was shot at Bear Creek Vista Point in Los Gatos, CA.

The photo was shot at the same spot as above.

A scenery photo of Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest and Wild Mustard Flowers & Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) (bottom). The photo was shot at Bear Creek Vista Point in Los Gatos, CA.

The photo was shot at the same spot as above.

Next, we arrive at Boulder Creek, CA, where I came to take some photos of the town and buy some Mexican food for lunch.

A scenery photo of stores shot on State Route 9 in Boulder Creek, CA.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google): 37° 07' 34" N 122° 07' 21" W

A black and white process of the photo above.

A scenery photo of Boulder Creek Sheriff's Office and Fire Department shot on State Route 9 in Boulder Creek, CA.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google): 37° 07' 31" N 122° 07' 21" W

After I got my lunch, we went to Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz County, CA. Nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to see. The park was pretty much a ghost town. Google Maps in the morning did display that the park was pretty much a ghost town despite several state parks near it filled to the brim. I thought maybe it was an error on Google Maps. Nope! The park really was a ghost town. The last time I visited the heart of Big Basin State Park was in 2016, and in 2017, I did the hike from Waddell Beach to Berry Creek Falls. The 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire changed the park forever. All the trees were burned, and the historic Park Headquarters is no more. Unfortunately, only a small area of Big Basin State Park was open, and there was really not much to see. The new bathrooms in the heart of Big Basin are porta-potties, and the new temporary visitor center is made from (I'm guessing) a shipping container. While it was interesting seeing the stark contrast of what Big Basin State Park is now versus what it used to be, the trip was mostly a disappointment.

A scenery photo of State Route 236 and burned Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest shot in Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz County, CA.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google): 37° 10' 21" N 122° 13' 20" W

A scenery photo of the location of Historic Park Headquarters burned down by CZU Lightning Complex Wildfire. In the background is the burned Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest. The photo was shot in Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz County, CA.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google): 37° 10' 21" N 122° 13' 18" W

A scenery photo of burned Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest shot on Redwood Loop Trail in Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz County, CA.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google): 37° 10' 20" N 122° 13' 25" W

A scenery photo of burned Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest shot on Redwood Loop Trail in Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz County, CA.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google): 37° 10' 15" N 122° 13' 25" W

A scenery photo of burned Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest shot on Redwood Loop Trail in Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz County, CA.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google): 37° 10' 14" N 122° 13' 27" W

A scenery photo of burned Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest shot on Redwood Loop Trail in Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz County, CA.

The photo was shot near the same spot as above.

A scenery photo of burned Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest shot on Redwood Loop Trail in Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz County, CA.

The photo was shot near the same spot as above.

A scenery photo of burned Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest shot on Redwood Loop Trail in Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz County, CA.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google): 37° 10' 13" N 122° 13' 26" W

A scenery photo of burned Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest shot on Redwood Loop Trail in Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz County, CA.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google): 37° 10' 08" N 122° 13' 23" W

A scenery photo of burned Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest shot on Skyline-To-The-Sea Trail in Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz County, CA.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google): 37° 10' 27" N 122° 13' 25" W

A scenery photo of burned Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest shot at the intersection of Dool Trail and Sunset Trail in Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz County, CA.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google): 37° 10' 33" N 122° 13' 24" W

A black and white process of the photo above.

A scenery photo of burned Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest shot on North Escape Road in Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz County, CA.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google): 37° 10' 32" N 122° 13' 18" W

This is all the photos for today. I hope you have enjoyed viewing the photos! Please don't forget to share the blog post with your friends and family members! Also, if you want to get notifications when I post up more photos, "Like" us on Facebook or follow me on Instagram. These links can also be found on the top of the right sidebar.

Eldorado National Forest - California

On 3 October 2022, my parents and I spent a day in Eldorado National Forest and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in California. We drove on State Route 88 and visited some of the side roads along the highway. We went to Lower Bear River Reservoir, Peddler Hill Scenic Viewpoint, Mormon Emigrant Trail, Strawberry Creek Barn, Lower Blue Lake, Alpine County, CA, and Minden, NV (for petrol). I took photos with my phone and with my mirrorless camera. I hope you enjoy viewing my photos! 

High Resolution Photos: If you want to see high resolution photos of any of the photos you see here, use the following links. If you wish to purchase prints of any of the photos, please contact me here. To see all of my photos from this trip, use this link.

Parts: Cellphone Photos | Mirrorless Photos

These photos were shot on my Olympus mirrorless camera. The photos are from Eldorado National Forest and are scenery from Mormon Emigrant Trail (Forest Route 10N50), State Route 88, and Schneider Cow Camp.

A scenery photo of mountains, forest, and burned forest. The photo was shot on Forest Route 10N50G which is an offshoot road from Mormon Emigrant Trail (Forest Route 10N50).

Approximate GPS location (type into Google): 38° 37' 57" N 120° 13' 47" W

A scenery photo of mountains, forest, and burned forest. The photo was shot near State Route 88.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google): 38° 38' 01" N 120° 10' 36" W

A scenery photo of Strawberry Creek Barn at Schneider Cow Camp. The photo was shot near Strawberry Creek Road.

A black and white process of the photo above.

A scenery photo of Strawberry Creek Barn at Schneider Cow Camp. The photo was shot near Strawberry Creek Road.

A black and white process of the photo above.

This is all the photos for today. I hope you have enjoyed viewing the photos! Please don't forget to share the blog post with your friends and family members! Also, if you want to get notifications when I post up more photos, "Like" us on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Instagram. These links can also be found on the top of the right sidebar.

Parts: Cellphone Photos | Mirrorless Photos

Grant Grove Village & Panoramic Point (Part 10) - Sequoia & King's Canyon NP (2014)

I recently took a trip to Sequoia and King's Canyon National Park (the two parks are connected). I had a great time photographing many scenery and enjoying the beauty of nature both inside the two national parks and out in Sequoia National Forest. Through this chain of blog posts, I will be showing photos of natural scenery, mountains, meadows, forests, wildlife, and the wonderful trees of the parks. I will also be giving some travel advice into the park as I know some of you viewers are probably looking at this to try to plan a trip to the parks. In these parks, is one of the world's largest species of trees, the Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum). I will also have a few photos of the world's most massive tree the General Sherman Tree in blog posts to come. I hope you enjoy viewing this chain of blog posts!

Full Resolution Photos and Prints: If you want to see full resolution photos or buy prints of any of the photos you see, they are up on my portfolio for viewing. To view my best photos from this trip, use this link. To see all of my photos from this trip, use this link.

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Today I begin my photos from day three. The photos for today are shot in King's Canyon National Park. Some of the photos are shot in Grant Grove Village, near the John Muir Lodge (the hotel I stayed at overnight), and the rest will be from my drive up to Panoramic Point and Panoramic Point itself.

First off is a photo of the meadow at Grant Grove Village. 

 Approximate GPS location (type into Google) according to the Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: 36 44 27 N 118 57 42 W  

Another photo of the meadow from a different vantage point. When I woke up that morning and went outside, I thought it was just fog in the area, but I noticed a charred wood smell in the air. At first I thought maybe it was the hotel's restaurant working, but after walking some distance from it and still smelling and seeing the smoke, I knew there was a forest fire somewhere nearby. Not sure where the fire is, but the visibility that day was pretty bad that day all through the park. 

 Approximate GPS location (type into Google) according to the Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: 36 44 25 N 118 57 44 W 

 A black and white process of the photo above.

Next I begin my drive up to Panoramic Point. Here is a sunrise photo shot on the drive up. 

 Approximate GPS location (type into Google) according to the Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: 36 44 47 N 118 57 18 W 

More sunrise photos on the drive up. Shot at the same spot as above. 

Here is a shot at Panoramic Point. According to the sign there, this view was suppose to be very beautiful, but the forest fires made it somewhat of a disappointment. 

 Approximate GPS location (type into Google) according to the Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: 36 45 16 N 118 56 39 W 

A black and white process of the photo above.

Here is a photo of the walking trail up to Panoramic Point. The trail wasn't that long or steep and it is wheelchair accessible. Unless it was a smoky day like when I visited this spot, I'd recommend a visit to this view point.

A black and white process of the photo above. 

A photo of the forest on the side of the trail. 

Here is a photo of the forest shot near the parking lot for Panoramic Point. I thought the smoke made a cool mysterious effect on the whole scenery so I took a shot. 

A black and white process of the photo above. 

These are all the photos for today. Next time I continue with some deer photos of the deer I saw on the drive down from Panoramic Point. Please don't forget to share the blog post with your friends and family members! Also, if you want to get notifications when I post up more photos, "Like" us on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Instagram. These links can also be found on the top of the right sidebar.

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Copyright Warning: These photos are some of my most popular works of art. Unauthorized usage and reproductions are strictly prohibited. Please contact me here to purchase prints and negotiate photo licenses.

Shasta Lake and Shasta Dam - California, USA

From 7/17/2013 to 8/2/2013, I took a road trip from the SF Bay Area to Vancouver, BC, Canada. Half of the trip was spent driving up the west coast. On my trip, I visited many famous places such as Seattle, Butchart Gardens, Mount Rainier, and much more. Obviously I got many coastal shots and many places that isn't as famous. The reason I am posting it now is because the high amount of photos I took equaled a high amount of processing time. I took a bit over 2000 photos on the trip. After stitching the panoramas, compositing the HDRs, and picking out photos from the repeats, I have a bit over 1000 photos to show you guys. The photos will be split into parts. I will link you to the previous and next parts on each post just like I did with my Death Valley National Park photos and my Yellowstone/Grand Teton National Park photos. Hope you enjoy viewing this chain of posts!

Full Resolution Photos and Prints: If you want to see full resolution photos or buy prints of any of the photos you see, they are up on my portfolio for viewing. To view my best California photos, use this link. To view all of my day 17 photos, use this link.

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Today I have photos from Shasta Lake and Shasta Dam in California, USA. When I was there, the forest fire smoke was still pretty heavy so the area was still in a layer of thick smoke. It was the last day of this long road trip and I was tired. Didn't end up going on the tour because I've been on the tour before. The photos you'll see is just from the part of the dam you can explore on your own.

A photo of Shasta Lake in smoke.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google) according to the Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: 40 42 52 N 122 24 30 W  

Photo of Shasta Dam. 

Approximate GPS location (type into Google) according to the Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: 40 42 50 N 122 25 02 W  

 Another photo of Shasta Lake. 

Approximate GPS location (type into Google) according to the Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: 40 42 57 N 122 24 58 W  

 The view of Shasta Dam. 

Approximate GPS location (type into Google) according to the Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: 40 42 58 N 122 24 59 W  

The view of the Sacramento River from Shasta Dam.

Approximate GPS location (type into Google) according to the Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: 40 43 07 N 122 25 09 W    

I'm guessing this is what opens and closes the dam's gates. 

Approximate GPS location (type into Google) according to the Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: 40 43 09 N 122 25 12 W   

A photo of Shasta Lake from the dam. 

Approximate GPS location (type into Google) according to the Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: 40 43 07 N 122 25 09 W   

 The giant power transformers at Shasta Dam. 

Approximate GPS location (type into Google) according to the Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: 40 43 05 N 122 25 06 W  

Another view of Shasta Dam as I headed back to the parking lot. 

Approximate GPS location (type into Google) according to the Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: 40 42 56 N 122 24 59 W   

As I head back to the parking lot, I spot a giant Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) nest.  

 The Osprey is a fish eating bird. I found a giant fish tail right under the nest. They sure eat big fish! 

Another few photos of the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus). 

These are all the photos for today. I hope you have enjoyed viewing them. Next time I will continue with photos from Sundial Bridge in Redding, CA. Please don't forget to share the blog post with your friends and family members! Also, if you want to get notifications when I post up more photos, "Like" us on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Instagram. These links can also be found on the top of the right sidebar.

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