Feather Falls a great place to visit while hiking

If you're up for a bit of a drive and a somewhat vigorous hike, one of the most spectacular sights in northern California is a mere four and one-half hours away. Two and a half hours by car will take you to Feather Falls National Recreational Trail, and two more on foot will take you to the fourth highest waterfall in California and the sixth highest in the contiguous 48 states. The consensus among hikers: it is well worth the exertion.On the western slope of the Northern Sierra, fifteen miles north of Oroville, the Fall River plunges 640 feet into the Middle Fork Feather River. The fall is at the terminus of a trail from a developed campground with drinking water and toilets, making this a potential weekend outing, with nice campsites featuring tables and fire rings, next to a gurgling creek, in the shadows of towering Douglas firs and Ponderosa pines. When we visited, only one campsite was in use.There are two excellent trails to the falls, the older and shorter of which is the quickest (and slightly more arduous) route to the viewpoint, which is an observation platform located across from the falls. The newer trail maintains a gentler slope, but is one mile longer. We chose the shorter trail for our approach, and the longer for our return, making a nice loop along creeks shaded by Dogwoods and Bigleaf Maples, through well-watered forests of pine and incense Cedar.This area of the Plumas National Forest receives 60 inches of rain annually, which accounts for the rich green look of the place, even in August. En route one has a fine view of Bald Dome Rock, which was (and is) a sacred meditation place for the Maidu Indians. To reach the trailhead/campground take California Highway 70 to Oroville, turn east onto Oroville Dam Boulevard (CA 162), go one and one-half miles and turn right onto Olive Highway. Drive six and one-half miles to Forbestown Road and make another right. After six miles, make a left onto Lumpkin Road. After 10.8 miles on this paved but narrow and winding road, turn left at the sign for the Feather Falls trailhead.The usual precautions and preparations: wear comfortable clothing and good walking shoes or boots. Perhaps a staff or a pair of trekking poles. Take plenty of water, lunch and snacks, and invest in some DEET to apply to exposed skin, or permethrin spray for your clothing, as there are numerous annoying little flying critters waiting to make you into a lunch or snack. Watch out for Poison Oak, which is in abundance along the trail.Along Highway 70 you will pass numerous farms and orchards, with fruit stands offering peaches and other fresh fare. There is even a roadside store advertising chocolate covered prunes, so one may indulge a taste for sweets and be regular too.Michael Paul is an avid outdoorsman who lives in Auburn. He can be reached at michaelpaul@yahoo.com.