Thursday morning on June 10 at McArthur Burney State Park, I didn’t automatically itch for paddling, finally decided instead to “go exploring” on wheels. As a backpacking guide and wilderness canoeist, and with an addiction to road trips, It’s always been vital for me to understand the geography of where I am. But except for knowing to turn left off Hwy 299 at the big 4 way stop and left again for the state park, I was clueless about the lay of the land surrounding our campsite neighborhood. So I set out to rectify that.

First stop was the new looking Tamo Boat Ramp, owned by PG&E, at the southeast end of Lake Britton, just off Hwy 89. The site hosts, Joe and Michele, explained how I could drive to the place I had seen the day before when paddling toward the confluence of Hat Creek and Pit River, where Lake Britton begins. I’d archive that info for a while, and drive in the opposite direction.

Continuing just a short way up Hwy 89, I turned left onto an intriguing narrow road which I thought might circle around Lake Britton. I hadn’t imagined I’d be treated to a fabulous high elevation view of the lake and surrounding mountains. Remember that the next time you are in the area, it’s Clark Creek Road.

The road spiraled down for a while, leading me into (and safely through) a place which could have been a scene from the Twilight Zone: an odd touristy looking building way out of place and with no people in sight, then a sign that made no sense, and then a strangely contorted intersection. Taking Yogi Berra’s advice about taking forks in the road, a mile farther I was back at lake level, and realized that I was approaching the dam that created Lake Britton.

“Pit 3 Dam” blocked the Pit River in 1925; it stands 130 feet tall. Water is diverted into a tunnel leading to a PG&E hydroelectric plant. The famous Pacific Crest Trail crosses on the road above the dam, so just by driving across, I can now say that I have driven on the PCT! How cool is that?  A few miles farther, the now hum-drum Clark Creek Road deposited me back at highway 89 near the park entrance. But I wasn’t done. I turned right, toward Hwy 299 and the 4 way stop.

Joe and Michele were right. They said go east on Hwy 299, cross Hat Creek and Pit River, watch on the left for a well hidden unpaved road. Accuracy was confirmed by a sign featuring a map of the publicly accessible day-use area; indicating the Confluence of Pit River and Hat Creek. PG&E apparently owns the land. After 2 easy miles, there was an obvious stopping point with a wide pull out and an interpretive sign.

I loved the view and the peaceful setting! Laid out far below me was the beautiful Pit River valley with lush meadow grass and willows beside the river. The Pit was larger than I remembered from 6 years ago, having paddled to the confluence from near Hwy 89. I couldn’t actually see Hat Creek itself because of my position, and also just out of view to the right was where Arlene, Sue, and I had turned around the day before.

On the bluff where I stood were widely spaced oak trees creating nice shade, and there was a pleasant breeze. I had lunch and dawdled there for more than an hour, just to soak it in and let my mind drift. I saw nobody. Farther down the road was the unpaved boat ramp we had seen when paddling the day before, and then I saw the peculiar pipeline that crosses the lake, apparently for natural gas.

There was one more item on my agenda. It called from about 10 miles to the east. Could I paddle the curvy Fall River all the way to town from the “lake” adjoining Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park? I’d wondered about that 6 years ago, and scouted a bit from the Ahjumawi end in 2019. The map shows it meandering through flat agricultural land.  Were there river hazards like fast water or tangled trees, small dams, fences, or….? Was there someplace I could take out to avoid paddling back?

The manager at Ace Hardware in Fall River Mills had the answers.

He had grown up there, and his grandpa had worked as a local game warden, so he “had credentials”.  His answers were confident: it’s a safe and easy paddle; there’s a manageable but not easy take-out.

My questions now put to rest, it was time to head back to camp with a new perspective on where I was.