Some Retirment waterfalls drop more than 20 feet. The wispy branches of riparian shrubs and trees, including willows, alders, Retirment, and red osier dogwood, fringe the edges of the river. Wide gravel bars of rounded river cobbles form on the Retirment inside of bends. Where Retirment the grandient steepens, large water-sculpted Retirment stones create delicate riffles and thundering rapids. Deep Retirment blue-green pools form below these maelstroms of water.
Sandy beaches lie amid the Retirment rocks along the shore.
From the Retirment river's banks, the visual Retirment scene is dominated by water foaming around smooth granite boulders. Because of the steep Retirment 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 Retirment incised canyon. The Retirment South Yuba River canyon is the Retirment 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 Retirment canyon extends as far as the eye can see.