As long as I can remember, creeks have run through my life story, as surely as blood runs through the veins of my body. I was born just a few blocks from the banks of Crooked Creek, in Boone County, Arkansas. As a youngster, I remember my father taking my big sister and I fishing, tadpole chasing, and worm digging, at the creeks around Monarch and Lead Hill, Arkansas. Here is a photo of one of those fishing trips:
I grew up playing in Crooked Creek, which was just yards from my parents business, in Harrison, Arkansas. This Crooked Creek closeness turned to Crooked Creek curses, when the creek flooded on May 7, 1961, and destroyed my parent's business. Here is a photo of my parent's business which was located on Scenic Highway 7 South:
I went to a high school, located on the banks of Crooked Creek. While in college at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, I lived in an apartment complex called Skull Creek, because it was situated on the banks of Skull Creek. The first time my son and I ever floated in a metal canoe, it was on Crooked Creek, with my friend Brenda, and her daughter, Pauline. When I lived on Scenic Highway 7 North, our home was located on a hill above a creek that had constant water in it due to an all-weather spring, and the family had a little cabin on that creek. My son did this sketch of the cabin, to combine with the poem his grandfather wrote about his experience along the stream:
My son referenced his memories from his time at the cabin with his grandfather, in an essay he wrote, after he successfully climbed, and safely descended, the famous granite monolith in Yosemite, known as "El Cap":
The "Creek Expedition" story of my life continues, as I have lived the last several decades, on the banks of Pigeon Creek in north Arkansas. That came about because my boyfriend and I were hiking along Pigeon Creek, and came to a section he wanted to cross, but I was reluctant, because it meant I was going to get my feet wet. Being the muscular, strong martial arts expert that he was, he simply gathered me up in his arms, and carried me across the creek, like a groom carries his new bride across the thresh hold. It was then I told this fine man, (who was raised in New England and knew nothing of mountain folklore), that it was an old Ozark custom that if a guy carries a girl across a creek---like he just did---it meant they were engaged, and would be married. Turns out---that is exactly what happened! We got married just yards from that same spot along Pigeon Creek! Below is a photo of my beloved Pigeon Creek. Even though its appearance is similar to dozens of other creeks that go through these Ozark Mountains---to me, it will always have a special place in my heart!
Getting back to current day activities, and trying to tie in the previous comments with the next section, it is enough to say that since my son and I hiked many times down to the little "cabin on the creek" of his childhood, it seemed especially meaningful, when I had the opportunity to once again hike "Cabin Creek" with my son; but, this one was thousands of miles from where we hiked in his youth, when he lived in the Ozarks. Rather, this hike took place in northern California, and oh, what a glorious hike it was!!
My son referenced his memories from his time at the cabin with his grandfather, in an essay he wrote, after he successfully climbed, and safely descended, the famous granite monolith in Yosemite, known as "El Cap":
The "Creek Expedition" story of my life continues, as I have lived the last several decades, on the banks of Pigeon Creek in north Arkansas. That came about because my boyfriend and I were hiking along Pigeon Creek, and came to a section he wanted to cross, but I was reluctant, because it meant I was going to get my feet wet. Being the muscular, strong martial arts expert that he was, he simply gathered me up in his arms, and carried me across the creek, like a groom carries his new bride across the thresh hold. It was then I told this fine man, (who was raised in New England and knew nothing of mountain folklore), that it was an old Ozark custom that if a guy carries a girl across a creek---like he just did---it meant they were engaged, and would be married. Turns out---that is exactly what happened! We got married just yards from that same spot along Pigeon Creek! Below is a photo of my beloved Pigeon Creek. Even though its appearance is similar to dozens of other creeks that go through these Ozark Mountains---to me, it will always have a special place in my heart!
The sign tells us that the hike is within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest ( www.fs.usda.gov ), which is the largest national forest in California, at 2,210,485 acres. It is comprised of 5 wilderness areas, 278 miles of streams and rivers, and 460 miles of trails. Its major features are Shasta Lake (the largest man-made lake in California), and Mt. Shasta (elevation 14,179 feet). 
This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased! If those words sound familiar, perhaps it is because it is in the Bible, in Matthew 3:17 as follows: And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." I am thanking God----for his Son, Jesus---and for my son, Grover!
I want to give a shout out to the editor of the "go-to" on-line source for hiking in this area ( www.hikemtshasta.com ) for helping me understand some confusion I had with the nomenclature of this area. This photo shows the "tinier" and shorter Cabin Creek, that runs into the much longer, and more significant Squaw Valley Creek. During a time when "political correctness" was at its zenith, the forest service tried to move away from using the word "squaw" in their nomenclature. So they made a decision, that once Cabin Creek ran into Squaw Valley Creek, their maps would call the remaining convergence Cabin Creek, even though common sense would dictate otherwise. In keeping with that nomenclature, they used the term "Cabin Creek Trailhead", on the official sign in the parking lot (which was pictured earlier in this blog). The term "Cabin Creek" fit in perfectly with my story line, but to many long-time residents and locals, the name change is annoying. I remember before we went, my son said we were going to hike the Squaw Valley Trail, yet where we parked, the sign said Cabin Creek Trail. It was not until I got back to Arkansas, and started writing this blog, that I found out the reason behind the verbiage!
The trail goes beside and above the creek, to provide a steady roar as you walk along. 
This photo shows my son crossing one of the bridges that the forest service has built, to facilitate traversing the steep sides of the canyon.
Although it is possible to do an 8-mile loop and not do any backtracking of the area, my son and I did the out-and-back option, where the hiker gets to see two waterfalls---one is about ten feet, and the other is about five feet. 
There is a section of the trail, called "The Octopus", where there are numerous signs, pointing in numerous directions, that can be confusing to hikers, especially new-comers who do not know that Cabin Creek Trailhead used to be called Squaw Valley Trailhead!
I was fortunate to be with a seasoned mountain guide, who had studied our route in advance, because I was totally lost!
The Shasta-Trinity National Forest includes a 154 mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail. The Pacific Crest Trail (stretching from Mexico to Canada) is the West Coast version of the Appalachian Trail. The previous summer, my son, his wife, and I hiked a section of the PCT near Castella, California. For more information on the Pacific Crest Trail, check out www.pcta.org (or watch the movie, Wild, with Reese Witherspoon!)
When I hiked a small section of the Appalachian Trail, I was disappointed that there were no actual signs indicating the name of the trail I was on---just those rectangular blazes, painted on the trees. Therefore, I was DELIGHTED to get to have my photo taken with an actual sign, reading Pacific Crest Trail!
Some of the trail has been "dug" out of the side of the steep mountains, on each side of the creek.
This tree was laying across the trail, and appeared to have been there for quite some time!
Moss Falls like this can be seen in many places in the mountains of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
My feet (right side of photo) appear to be larger than my son's feet! One description of this hike suggested that the first waterfall was a good place to stop for lunch . However, since I am old, and eat frequently---we stopped, snacked, and rested at BOTH waterfalls!
This is a photo of my son patiently waiting for his mother to "get her second wind", and continue the hike! As you can see from the picture, the gorges that the creek crashes though, are very rocky!
There are nice foot bridges along the trail, when it is necessary to cross the chasm created by steep bluffs on either side of the creek. However, do not just automatically assume that you need to cross every bridge, as some of them are spurs to different trails, and will not get you back to your starting point!
