The above pic is niether Shaver Lake nor Black Rock Lake. It is in fact the very upper end of Pine Flat Lake, where the Kings River flows into and forms the lake below. Trimmer Springs Road winds around and along the shoreline of Pine Flat for about 30 miles, then meanders on up the mountain towards Black Rock Lake, and few other lakes formed by several dams. They are all part of a dam co-op and PG&E power company. And below is also another pic of Kings River.
And just below Black Rock Lake, there is this falls and strange black rock (wet granite?)
The road to Black Rock Lake from our campsite Island Park was ok for the most part. It was a asphalt, mostly, very bumpy, and very windy, and was about 60 miles in all, one way. There was one section that was about one mile of precarious (translated scary) road with no guard rail that was one lane, and very steep, straight down cliffs, about 1,000 feet. Defintely white knuckle, Zanax type of excitement. It was too scary to even stop and take a photo. I just wanted to past it as quick as possible. Oh, did I mention we had to come back the same way? Ugh!
Above was a pull out just beyond the yucky section, and we stopped to smell the roses, er, flowers. Mountain Poppies and some kind of crocus maybe??
And below is some kind of Laurel...
We were up about 6000 feet here, and trees were in the clouds and it was cool, about 50, and it was 90 down at the campsite. The valley below, was a large canyon, full of a rushing river.
Above, the Black Rock Ranger Station, not used recently from the appearance of the buildings. It had a 12-site RV park as well, but it too hadn't been used in many years. Just to the right of the station and about a mile, was the dam and Black Rock Lake just above it.
There was a depth marker beside a pump house at the edge of the dam, and the lake level was at 95 feet. It was a fairly small lake, maybe 300 acres or so. It was cold and clear, but a slight tannic color I assume from all the pine forest runoff.
I did a little fishing, but no "catching". :(( And below is another from the other end of the lake.
Below, we caught this peacock crossing the road right in front of us on the way back from the lake. Behind the bird is a pig pen. The pigs were everywhere, and boy did we know it! Whew!
Many places in the foothills away from the cities, you'll find "open ranges", where cattle have no fences. Here, the big Angus bull was right beside the road, snoozing after a long afternoon grazxing and keeping the cows straight. :))
Different day, different lake, Shaver to be exact. Up around 7000 feet as well, and it was cool, about 50 again, and breezy. There a lot of trout fishermen on the shores and they were "catching" a lot of trout (rainbows).
Above, me snapping a pic of the guy as he was hauling in another 12" trout.
And I snapped a photo of Nancy as she was snapping one of me.
This was a neat little rapid/falls feeding Shaver Lake, and it was in the Edison Park & Campground.
Well, that about wraps up the blog about our two day trips to these beautiful places. The sites were gorgeous and the drive to & fro were just as entertaining. These foothills in the western Sierra Nevada's are just awesome. Hope you all can expierence them some day. Until the next time, RVing Beach Bums gone!
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