A July Walk Through a Tahoe Meadow

It was a perfectly clear and bright day in mid-July, so I went for a walk to see how things were looking after the huge winter. The river was still running surprisingly high and fast, a clear sign of all the snowmelt still coming down from the high country. All the willows and brush along the banks were incredibly green and overgrown.

The path eventually pulled away from the river and the landscape opened up into a huge, sweeping meadow. The change in scenery was immediate. From the middle of the valley, you could see the distant Sierra peaks, with the last bits of snow still clinging to their highest points, even in the warm sun.

Down in the meadow, the water slowed to a gentle stream, winding through the tall grasses. The whole valley felt alive and exceptionally green for this time of year. I ended the walk near a reservoir just up the hill. In contrast to the rushing river, the water here was perfectly still, reflecting the dense pine forest on the far shore under a cloudless sky.