For over two decades, Willow Creek resident, burro packer, and PROLIFIC photographer "Burro Bill" Lewinson quietly documented the rugged beauty of Northern California’s wildlands, including the Trinity Alps, Six Rivers National Forest, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and the Trinity River region. Traveling by pack animal along remote trails, Lewinson captured thousands of rare and intimate images; winding paths, alpine lakes, rushing creeks, open meadows, and the rich flora and fauna that define these landscapes. His photographs also uniquely record the enduring practice of animal packing, offering glimpses of his burros at work in terrain inaccessible by vehicle. This collection is a valuable resource for today’s packers, backpackers, hikers, and nature enthusiasts, providing both inspiration and practical insight into trail conditions, seasonal changes, and lesser-known routes. As both a visual archive and a cultural record, it preserves a disappearing rhythm of travel through Northern California’s backcountry.
Burro Bill captured over two hundred thousand images, selling many as posters, wall art and greeting cards. Please take a look at his subject list from the years 1999 to 2010 in the Finding Aid:
Here is a curated selection of photographs from his digitized collection. The collection is being processed currently, but will be available for members to view through appointment at the Willow Creek - China Flat Bigfoot Museum.