Tyler State Park, Part I

I had to see some fall scenery. It was a moral imperative. But where?

The internet gave me three options within reasonable driving distance -- Daingerfield State Park, Lake Bob Sandlin State Park, and Tyler State Park.  Reports seemed to indicate that the foliage at Tyler was the most likely to not be past peak.  So I grabbed Ginny and my camera and hit the road around noon.

The drive was only supposed to take about two hours, but ended up closer to three thanks to traffic on 635.  The weather was still nice and warm, but these canoes at the lake looked like they were already done for the season.

The Lakeshore Trail is a 2.1-mile loop, upon which Ginny and I eagerly struck out.

The beautiful blue skies above mirrored the beautiful blue waters below.

Then I saw it!  An actual sign of fall!  Sure, it was a lone red leaf.  But it was wonderfully backlit and isolated from its surroundings.  And it was exactly what I'd hoped to see.

Honestly, that one leaf was far from the only evidence of the changing seasons.  The trail had a nice amount of leaf litter to carpet it, but the trees also still held on to plenty of their own.

A colorful reflection at Beaver Pond, helped a bit by a graduated neutral density filter.

The trail has a number of inviting benches when a rest is in order.  But Ginny and I were on a mission to circle the lake before we lost our light.

I felt compelled to shoot this fungus on a fallen log for fellow nature lover Katie Corson, who has a bit of an obsession with taking mushroom pictures herself.

The setting sun shining through some changing leaves provided a painterly effect on the surface of the lake.

The light from a low sun can transform a scene.  I like the contrast here between the lit and shaded sides of the trees.

Time was starting to work against us a bit, as the sun was already on the verge of dipping below the trees on the west horizon.  And we were only halfway around the lake!

More to come...