JourneysPhotograph

A Hot August Afternoon Wading in a Tahoe River

·Placer County, California·#summer#tahoe#family#dog#river
A man, a woman, and a child smile at the camera outdoors by a rocky stream, trees, and blue sky.

It was early August of 2018, and the kind of hot summer day in Tahoe that calls for getting in some water. We found a spot along a familiar river to spend the afternoon cooling off. The water level was low, leaving plenty of rocky banks exposed under the sun, but the current was just right for wading.

The place was perfect. Tall pines lined the banks, and the water was clear and cold enough to be refreshing. We started by just walking upstream, letting the dogs splash ahead of us. They were probably having the most fun of anyone, chasing sticks and just enjoying the cool water.

Our daughter was right in there with them, navigating the rocky riverbed and just enjoying the simple act of being in the water on a hot day. There wasn't much of a plan beyond that. We just followed the creek, enjoying the sun and the quiet of the forest. It was a simple and perfect way to spend a summer afternoon.

Two smiling people in hats and sunglasses close up, a sunny forest and stream visible behind them.A child in a swimsuit wades in a clear river with a swimming dog, surrounded by tall pine trees and green banks.A person and a dog are in a clear river, with tall evergreen trees lining the banks under a blue sky.A child stands in a clear, shallow river with a splashing dog, surrounded by rocky and grassy banks and tall pine trees.A child and a dog play in a shallow river surrounded by tall pine trees under a blue sky.A child and two dogs wade in a clear river surrounded by a rocky bank and dense forest under a blue sky.A child and two dogs wade in a clear stream surrounded by tall pine trees under a blue sky.A child and a dog wade in a shallow rocky river surrounded by lush green banks and tall pine trees under a blue sky.