traveling california hwy 299 to surprise valley, the south warners, otherwise known as the warner mountains, the south warner wilderness; stop at fall river mills, lovely old town that also has fall river waterfalls - this is the modoc plateau of california - the high desert.

The United Methodist Church
of Fall River Mills

So you're driving through the high desert, and this not a high desert graced by trees but rather sage brush, looking kind of scrawny too I might add. The dry heat parches, leaving your throat dry and scratchy, never able to get enough to drink. Brad, who isn't a fast food fan, kept talking about finding a McDonalds and getting a cherry berry chiller, and I drank iced tea after iced tea.

No matter!

Notice the exclamation point? It's there for a reason.

No matter how unredeeming the landscape may seem, it isn't. Little towns dot the landscape. And while this doesn't always happen - Canby and Dorris, California being cases in point - it happens often enough to comment on. For these little towns, like Fall River Mills, always seem to have something to recommend them. Even if it's just an unusual building, there, seemingly, to demonstrate that humankind will NOT be cowed by the severity of the landscape.

The United Methodist Church in Fall River Mills, pictured above is a case in point. The Spanish architecture of what is now the Elks Lodge in Alturas, California, pictured below, another. Fall River Mills, however, has more to recommend it than this church. Fall River Hotel invites. If not to spend the night, at least to take a meal in the dining room, graced by hardwood floors, a beamed ceiling and a fireplace constructed out of river stones. Or perhaps to take a brief repast outside on the terrace under tables shaded with umbrellas.

Returning to the fireplace constructed of river stones, which river did they come from? The Pit or Fall River? Perhaps both, for both rivers grace the environs of Fall River Mills, California. Not the least to recommend the area are Fall River Waterfalls, of which pictures are yet to come later in these pages. :-)

traveling california hwy 299 to surprise valley, the south warners, otherwise known as the warner mountains, the south warner wilderness; stop at fall river mills, lovely old town that also has fall river waterfalls - this is the modoc plateau of california - the high desert.

Forward ~ Fall River Hotel in Fall River Mills, California.

Back ~ Cedar Pass cuts a swathe through the Warner Mountains to Surprise Valley.

USFS: Modoc National Forest.

Explore Surprise Valley and the Warner Mountains: Travel Directions, Map and Scenery: Mountains, hot springs, wildlife viewing, S. Warner Wilderness Area, hiking trails and more.

Travel Oregon and northern California while staying at Gathering Light ... a retreat
located near Crater Lake in southern Oregon.

wood river wetlands not far from gathering light ... a retreat in southern oregon near crater lake national park: cabins, treehouses in the forest on the river.

Travel to Gathering Light ... a retreat via the Shasta Trinity area of northern California: Directions, Map & Scenery.

Directions to and Day Trips of around 100 miles from the retreat.

Explore little known Scenic Places near Crater Lake National Park and the retreat: hiking trails, wildlife viewing, birding trails, & more: Directions, Map and Scenery.

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Contact Brad at Gathering Light ... a retreat.

The Sunset Log Cabin (pictured above) at Gathering Light ... a retreat. Rustic simplicity, a place to "Just Be", Gathering Light is nestled on the banks of the river, surrounded by the Fremont Winema National Forest of southern Oregon and not far from Crater Lake National Park.