• California’s drought has been taking a toll on Lake Cachuma, with more and more of its bed emerging as the water level continues to recede. (Urban Hikers)
  • Among the previously submerged landmarks is a concrete bridge along an old highway. (Urban Hikers)
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  • Upon closer inspection, the 1930s-era bridge is in surprisingly good shape. (Urban Hikers)
  • A survey monument on the bridge is encrusted with rust and silt, and — unfortunately — mostly illegible. (Urban Hikers)
  • When it was underwater, the old roadbed provided an excellent habitat for freshwater clams. The clams are now dead but their shells accentuate the pavement. (Urban Hikers)
  • Santa Barbara County Park Ranger Jeff Bozarth provided the Urban Hikers with an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the previously submerged terrain. (Urban Hikers)
  • The old roadway cut across the valley that became Lake Cachuma. (Urban Hikers)
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  • Artificial reefs created out of milk crates are far from the fish these days. (Urban Hikers)
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  • Dead vegetation still pokes through the silt. (Urban Hikers)
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  • Cracks in the dried mud are deep. (Urban Hikers)
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  • Even amid the drought conditions, Lake Cachuma continues to serve as an important recreation area for Santa Barbara County. (Urban Hikers)

Bill Macfadyen is Noozhawk’s founder and publisher. Contact him at wmacfadyen@noozhawk.com, and follow him on Instagram: @bill.macfadyen. The opinions expressed are his own.