Cave Grottos and Waterfalls- Yuba River

Imagine series of cascading waterfalls drowning in a clear blue river encased by giant glowing white boulders. The water is so clear, you can see every footstep you make on the gravely bottom and river fish swimming about all around you. The shallow areas become a gradient of iridescent blues to emerald greens while the deeper areas turn the water into a dark blue abyss. Boulders stacked upon each other create small grottos that line the riverbed, creating a maze of hidy- holes, swim- throughs and personal caves. On a hot Summer day, this place is a dreamscape. Somewhere to go to wash all your worries away and immerse yourself in this beautiful scenery.

A photorapher's delight, this tributary from the Feather River in the Sierra Nevadas' is a summer hotspot. Located on Highway 49, dubbed the golden Chain Highway, is a bridge that crosses the river. The bridge crossing on Highway 49 is the spot. Just before the bridge is a small parking lot on the right side of the road. The coordinates for this parking lot are 39.29327,-121.094647. During Summer, this place fills up pretty quickly so if you plan on spending your day lounging along the river bed, you should get here early to get a good spot. Otherwise, you could waste up to an hour trying to find alternate parking or looping around the lot for someone to leave.

It's time to set off with your floaties, cooler, gopro, towel, or whatever other ammenities you'd like to bring along. The bridge is a concrete support bridge that overlooks the river. The view from the top is absolutely beautiful. You can see everyone splashing around, how deep the bottom is, and just listen to the flow of the river from up top. The color of the water is stunning from these heights. It's about 30 feet high and I was shocked to see someone jumping from this bridge as soon as we arrived. Someone likes adrenaline. This is what it looks like from the top of the bridge.

There are two options. You can hang out here on the beach right by the bridge. The rock grotto from this picture can easily be a days worth of fun and exploration. However, if you want to slowly drift down the river, sliding down waterfalls, swimming through underwater caves, and jumping off boulders, I suggest taking the longer route. The trail for easy access up the river is just on the other side of the bridge. A dirt pathway will take you as far up the river as you would like. The trail is also quite an easy one and does not require alot of physical fitness. We walked a ways up the river because we planned on spending the entire day slowly drifting down the Yuba and exploring every nook and cranny we could find. Of course, you could boulder hop your way up the river, but this is a bit more physically demanding and you'll have less energy to relax ;)

The spot we decided to stop at was a gorgeous blue emerald pool surrounded by towering boulders. It looked like an glowing white amphitheater. I will dream of this place until the day I die, forever photographed into my memory. From the trail, you do have to boulder hop a bit to get to the water's edge. There is a small cave created by stacked boulders which we stuck our towels and food in. This is the view from the shaded cave.

Because the rocks are so tall here, the only way to get in is to jump in. And it's also really fun to do so. The water in this little pool is very deep and all you have to do is push out as far as you can when you jump. Especially on a hot summer's day, jumping into the water after having the sun brazen your skin is a delightful shock to the system. We took turns seeing who could jump in the farthest.

We hung out in this spot for a long time. Soaking in the beauty and the sun. Eventually, we began to make our way down the river to explore all the other splendors the Yuba has to offer. As you float down the river, there are series of large pools which are formed by boulders creating different levels. As you float down to each area, it is more beautiful than the last with it's own unique scenery to offer. The next pool had some amazing mini waterfalls.

You can slide down the waterfalls, you can stick your face in it, and our favorite thing to do is stand inside the waterfall and feel the power of the gushing river on your back. It is the ultimate massage. It also creates this awesome affect of a cone of water around your head.

The favorite of the waterfalls was this cascading one which veiled over a large rock with a crevasse for sitting. It was as if a chair was carved into the rock right under the falls. To sit there and feel the waterfall running down your back and over your face was so refreshing.

Another level down is a playground of waterfalls. This section is my favorite because it has underwater caves, waterfalls, lounging rocks and a natural jacuzzi. The natural jacuzzi is a very cool feature: as water streams down a slope, it falls into a naturally formed hole which is big enough to fit a couple people inside if you're willing to squish. You can sit with your back against the stream and have a water massage, or just enjoy the sweet little personal jacuzzi. Here's Greg enjoying it now..

In the same pooled area are two waterfalls with caves behind them. You are able to swim underneath or around the falls and relax beneath the gushing waters. It is a small space, maybe big enough for three people. There is something incredibly soothing and tranquil about hanging out behind a waterfall and listening to the music it makes. If I could, I would have stayed here all day long.

Now lets talk about the underwater caves and grottos. If you love enclosed spaces, small hide holes, and underwater peacefulness, you'll go ga-ga over all of these secret spots like I did. Alot of the underwater swim- throughs required some trial and error. My friends had goggles which allowed them to find these gems all along the way. I don't think it would be possible to spot them without having your head submerged and constantly looking for light through the rocks underwater. Having found a couple, it was always nerve wracking for the first person to explore the caves because it could have led to a dead end underwater instead of to the other side. I definitely wasn't going first.

One of the coolest underwater caves was one that led to a little jacuzzi. Just a quick swim through a hole underwater and you had yourself a private shelter/ hang out spot. I never wanted to leave.

through this way.. follow me.

Overall, the best spot for caves and grottos on the Yuba river is the area right next to the bridge. Just like the picture from above at the beginning of this post, you can see the network of holes, caves and swimming spots. You can literally hang out here all day long and not have to see anything else. The entrance to this grotto is a thin crevasse just big enough to get through above water.

You can go between this crevasse ORRR you can take the better way... swimming under the giant boulder at the beginning of the grottos. It is a quick swim and it takes about 10 seconds to get all the way through. Just make sure you go deep enough because you can hit your head on the rock.

Once you're past the big boulder, you find yourself in a beautiful rock grotto surrounded by giant white boulders. It's cozy, peaceful and there are shallow spots to sit and chat with friends. Some sections of the grotto are deep and you can swim in and out of different sections. There are a few waterfalls in here and the strong currents takes you right back into the main grotto area. An underwater photographers delight, you can spend hours here taking pictures or footage because the waters are so clear. It's a truly magical place.

If you ever find yourself in Northern California and you're itching for a little adventure, exploration, and a magical setting, I strongly recommend checking out the Yuba River. Some of my favorite memories were created here. Venture with a group of friends, your family, or by yourself. Either way, you'll never forget this experience. Bring goggles,sunscreen and your camera :)

As a bonus, there are some awesome hot springs around this area with a camp site. Unfortunately I slept the whole way there so I can't tell you how to get there. But they're mainly exhibitionist springs so if you're skittish, wear your suit.... like me.