River Bend Paradise

RIVER BEND PARADISE
By Erik Gunderson
July, 2025
Number 019
Photo Challenge: Ultra-Wide

”Hiouchi, California. The Smith River is billed by the locals as the world’s third-cleanest river. In truth, I’m not entirely sure what that means, but it is some of the clearest, best-tasting water I’ve encountered anywhere I’ve been. Upriver from here, you can shoot exciting whitewater rapids but this calm stretch affords a wonderful spot for a riverside picnic, a gentle kayak ride in the sun, a jump in to cool off when the afternoon starts to bake your skin, and plenty of time to look up and enjoy the sight of bald eagles, osprey, red-tailed hawks, and vultures soaring overhead, all looking to get the fish out of the river before you can.”

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