Some waterfalls drop more than 20 feet. The wispy branches of riparian shrubs and trees, including willows, alders, Cartier, and red osier dogwood, fringe the edges of the river. Wide gravel bars of rounded river cobbles form on the inside of bends. Where the grandient steepens, large water-sculpted Cartier stones create delicate riffles and thundering rapids. Deep blue-green pools form below these maelstroms of water.
Sandy beaches lie amid the rocks along the shore.
From the river's banks, the visual Cartier scene is dominated by water foaming around smooth granite boulders. Because of the steep vertical relief of the canyon, views focus on the river. From trails above, wider views encompass longer stretches of river flowing around curves and bends of the incised canyon. The South Yuba River canyon is the Cartier scenic highlight of any drive on Highway 49, the major roadway of the Sierra foothills. Looking upstream from the bridge, water tumbles through dramatic granite boulders in the foreground, and a view of the canyon extends as far as the eye can see.