Rolling Countryside

A landscape more familiar to that of Kentucky, the rolling hills of the Galena, Illinois area are beautiful all year, but a real treat in autumn. Rust and yellow leaves dot the fields, along with plenty of cattle, hay and barns.

Fall at the Palisades

A bright, crisp Fall day was the perfect excuse to drive out to the Mississippi Palisades State Park. Fall color seems late this year, and it looks as if we arrived at the peak of color here in northwestern Illinois. Following a track between the Mississippi River, and the tall, stone cliffs known as palisades, a train rounded the distant bend moments after we arrived at the lookout point. The trees here turn a rust color in Autumn, and they put on quite a display for us in the early afternoon sun. This area of Illinois was not covered in glacial ice during the last ice age, so the ancient cliffs and canyons remain to this day. We encountered so many breathtaking autumn views along the roads of western Illinois, unfortunately, I was unable to capture many of them as I drove along. I need to find a chauffeur so I can point the camera out of the car window!

Peering Into the Past

A few leftovers from times past can be found on the grounds of the Chellberg Farm. Now part of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, the farm is used to demonstrate early Indiana farm life. In addition to the farm, a few miles of wooded trails wind through the property - perfect for autumn hikes.

Golden Canopy

The Chellberg Farm is known in the Spring for it's Maple Sugar Days, where the Maple trees are tapped for their sap, and volunteers demonstrate how the sap it turned into Maple syrup. The woods are full of Maple trees, and Autumn is the perfect time for a hike through a golden forest. The colors seemed to be at their peak last weekend, and the dappled sunlight brought out the best in the leaves. Chellberg Farm Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Colorful Hills

The woods surrounding the Chellberg Farm are glowing with yellow-green leaves, creating the perfect backdrop to an autumn hike. In a few short months, these Maple trees will begin producing sap for Maple Syrup production.

Converging

The canyon walls, stream, and trees, all converge in the distance - at the confluence of the stream and Vermillion River. A rainy day at Matthiessen State Park made for some difficult photography, but the moisture, mud, and dim light were overcome by gear, persistence, and high ISO!

Harvested

The field of a small farm between Hollowayville and Princeton, Illinois is ready for winter, harvested just a few days ago. The morning rain left a blueish haze in the distance, creating a painterly look to this landscape.

Bend of the Vermillion

After getting wet by the rain, it didn't matter much to simply walk through the stream to avoid the deep mud on the trail. We arrived at the confluence of the stream and the Vermillion River, and decided to hike the bank for a while. Chris crossed the river to find out what was beyond the bend, since the slippery rocks in the foreground make if very difficult to hike on the near side of the river. He's on the bend of the river, giving a sense of scale to the area.

Rain Forest

Well, rain in a forest to be more specific. The day began with light rain, and progressed into a steady rain as we arrived at Matthiessen State Park to view the Fall colors. Sunrise went unnoticed for quite a long time, as the cloud cover and steep ravines prevented any light from reaching the canyon floor - dark and wet, a total nightmare for photography. We pushed on. Already wet and muddy, we decided to explore a canyon we haven't seen before, finding it much easier to walk through the ankle-deep water, than the soft, sticky mud along the bank. (Time to invest in a great pair of waterproof boots). We arrived at the Vermillion River a short while later, and explored the area around the confluence of the two waters. Despite the rain, mud, and darkness, or perhaps in spite of them, today's hike was memorable.

Lock Tender's House

Vacated decades ago, the Lock 20 lock tender's house remains standing along the Hennepin Canal near Wyanet, Illinois. While the canal didn't recieve the traffic it was meant to handle, it was historically significant. At over 100 miles in length, it was the first canal in America built of concrete - quite an undertaking for such a large scale project. The concrete locks still stand today, and all but one are visible (lock 1 is sometimes under water). A few of the lock tender's homes remain, most in need of significant repair. This one, according to locals, is said to be haunted. I've met some people who spend time on the grounds next to the home on nights with a full moon, hoping to see something supernatural. Last year, they pointed out something interesting. It was late afternoon, and temperatures were in the mid 80's all day. I expected the boarded up home to be very hot inside. They pointed out an eight inch hole in the siding. While peering inside, very cold air was rushing out - an interesting occurence on such a warm day. Sounds like a great place to spend Halloween night.

Red Covered Bridge

The late afternoon sun bathes the Princeton Red Covered Bridge on a beautiful Autumn day. Built in 1863, at a cost of just over $3,000 the bridge has a 149 foot span over Bureau Creek, and is one of only five covered bridges in Illinois. Once part of the Peoria-Galena Trail, the bridge is now on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The bridge is still open to traffic.

Color on the Hennepin Canal

Couldn't ask for a better Fall day for a hike, and we took advantage of it Sunday afternoon. Being a holiday weekend, I tried to find a remote place to enjoy an afternoon. About 30 miles past the tourist laden state parks, was a familiar place for me: The Hennepin Canal. One mile outside of the small town of Wyanet, Illinois, the lazy, quiet waterway was the perfect spot to spend a few hours away from crowds. At over 100 miles in length, this linear park was created after the Hennepin Canal closed. The canal linked the Mississippi River with the Illinois River, providing transportation for goods and industry from the Gulf of Mexico to Illinois. Add the Illinois and Michigan Canal, and access increased across the state to Lake Michigan, and ultimately to the Atlantic Ocean.

Colorful Walk

Can't argue with the weather we had on this Fall afternoon. High 70's, and partly sunny, a perfect day for a walk through Sawmill Creek at the Waterfall Glen forest preserve. The trees were just beginning to show signs of Fall color as wel walked through the water, upstream toward the waterfall. Peak color should arrive within the next two weeks.

Fall

An early Fall afternoon at the fall of Sawmill Creek in the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve. The colors of Autumn were just beginning to appear on this unseasonably warm Fall day. Colors should peak within the next two weeks or so. As we hiked back to the trail head, clouds gathered in the southwestern sky. Less than a mile down the road toward home, and the skies opened up with heavy downpours - perfect timing, yet again.

Wavy Skyline

Not only was it a wavy day on Lake Michigan, but the atmosphere made the Chicago skyline wavy as well. Approximately 30 miles across the lake from Boater's Beach- the beach one hikes to from the Cowles Bog loop- Chicago is clearly visible, yet a bit distorted by the distance. The 2.5 mile hike through Cowles Bog to the beach ends with a beautiful view of Lake Michigan, and a wide, soft, sandy beach. Due to the distance from the parking lot, this beach is mostly populated by boaters and residents of nearby Dune Acres. The beach for us is the halfway point of our hike, and a great resting spot. Of course, we need to hike back as well.

Green Valley

The sunlight filtered through the trees onto the green undergrowth, making it glow against the shaded tree trunks. A vibrant landscape to walk through at this time of year, and the 2.5 mile walk allows plenty of time to enjoy the surroundings - and so does the 2.5 mile hike back! Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Low Ceiling, High Waves

A float plane surprises us on our hike, as it takes a low altitude flight along the shoreline of Lake Michigan and Cowles Bog. As we aimed our cameras at the plane, we were even more surprised to find two others close by. Flying low over the waves must be exhilarating; it's something I see quite often while hiking here.

Slope

The reward following a 2.5 mile hike is a climb up, over, and down the foredune of Cowles Bog. Lake Michigan is a few yards away, but the view of the wooded foredunes is worth the hike. From this point, the dunes appear to go on forever, at least all the way to the horizon. After a walk along the beach, we take another trail back up the dune and into the woods, a two mile hike back to the tiny, secluded parking area. The parking area has been a bit more crowded lately. I remember just a while back where I would be lucky to see another person on the trail; now it seems more people are visiting. I wonder if it has anything to do with the August issue of Backpacker Magazine's article on Cowles Bog (featuring one of my photos)?

Liquid Mountain Range

Once again, Lake Michigan flexes her muscles, turning the sometimes glassy-smooth lake into a choppy liquid mountain range. Nonetheless, a couple enjoys an afternoon walk along the shore, undoubtedly overloading their senses with sites and sounds more common to oceans. This is only a few miles from the southernmost point of Lake Michigan, where Indiana meets Illinois, evidenced by the steel mills on the horizon. This area was once industrial as well, but is now part of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

Solitary

An unusual morning at Kintzele Ditch - the stream was not flowing into Lake Michigan. Apparently the high waves of the previous day built up the beach so high, it dammed the stream. We watched as the edge of the water moved slowly across the sand, at the rate of about an inch every 20 seconds, looking for a way to the lake. The edge of the water appeared to breathe, as it moved back and forth.

I imagine by the early afternoon, the stream found the lowest point in the sand, and finally made it to Lake Michigan. First a trickle, then after eroding a path, a steady flow of water.

Geographic construction in progress, right before our eyes.