Uvas Canyon County Park, Santa Clara County, CA, 3/12/2011
The winter of 2011 saw unusually heavy rain in California and so the creeks and waterfalls of Uvas Canyon were flowing fast and strong on this March afternoon. Walking along the closed section of Waterfall Loop Trail I climbed down a small hill to find this view of Little Falls on Swanson Creek. At first I wasn't certain I should include the fallen tree limb at right in the composition, but after observing the way it affected the water flow I decided that the branch would be a worthy feature to incorporate. Though only five feet tall, these falls are a refreshing sight in a lovely setting. Swanson Creek flows into Uvas Creek, which flows from the Santa Cruz Mountains through Uvas Canyon County Park into Uvas Reservoir. They are named after the 1842 Rancho Las Uvas Mexican land grant. "Uvas" is the Spanish word for grapes, and in this case refers to the abundance of wild grapes (Vitis californica) that could once be found along the area's main watercourses. The peace and quiet, cool fresh slightly damp air, calming waterways, and beautiful forest make this little known park a delightful place to explore.
