We had planned for a quick side trip to see the Elwha River at the site of the former Lake Mills. This wouldn’t have been a scenic stop. We just wanted to see the changes that are occurring after the Glines Canyon Dam was removed. I had read that the road was currently closed, but I did not know how far the obstruction was. Unfortunately signs indicated that the closure was only two miles up, so that didn’t work out.

On to Sol Duc. This is always a very pleasant hike through the forest. I had forgotten how nice the drive is as well. In addition, we found plenty of berries at a stop along the road as well as during our hike. I think that thimbleberries are the tastiest. We’ve seen plenty of them, but most have been along roadsides with no place to stop. We have been treated to some, but not as many as we would like. There were plenty of huckleberries today, both blue and red. What was unusual is that I found some raspberries, so that was a rare treat.

Today’s picture was not taken from the spot I would have preferred. There is only room for one person in that particular spot, and you know how inconsiderate photographers can be. There were only two people in front of me, but I eventually gave up waiting for my turn. That spot would have provided a view with all three segments of the waterfall as well as a better perspective. But I like this shot too. Of course using a wide angle lens does distort things. Well I suppose that people well versed in editing software could easily correct the distortion. In any case, water runs slightly uphill, and boy is that area on the left side tilted.

Our final stop of the day was at Rialto Beach where Cheryl was able to see a couple of bald eagles.