Timber harvest plans must account for maintaining the overall integrity of views from the river canyon. Sheer cliffs and rocky crags rise from the river for more than 2 miles below Spaulding Dam. Some waterfalls drop more than 20 feet. Wide gravel bars of rounded river cobbles form on the inside of bends. Deep blue-green pools form below these maelstroms of water.
Sandy beaches lie amid the rocks along the shore.
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. 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. No other river crossing provides a view of this quality along the entire length of Highway 49, which extends from near Fresno all the way to Downieville. Historic buildings and flat open areas at Bridgeport make the scene more pastoral.