Golden Cascade Falls, in Big Basin Redwoods, California, is a beautiful and unique waterfall. Its orange color comes from algae growing on the rocks.

This is the kind of scene that if it were in the Appalachian Mountains, it would not be the same. (Or so I imagine.) Every waterfall I know on the East Coast that looks like this is overrun with tourists. Kids just can’t seem to help themselves from sliding down the rocks and busting their bums. But here at Golden Cascade, deep in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains, I was practically by myself. But maybe it’s not an East Coast vs West Coast thing. Could be the fact that it’s a six mile, semi-strenuous hike to get here. Could also be that for several months out of the year, these mountains don’t get much rain, and this waterfall wouldn’t be “slide-able.” In fact, maybe it would never really be slideable, because there’s not much of a pool at the bottom. But something tells me that they’d have built a road anyways, and at the very least it’d be a tourist trap.

Purchase “Golden Cascade Falls in Afternoon Sunshine” Fine Art Print: