A walk along several wooded trails

Walking the trails of Wasatch Lake presented an amalgam of visions and spectacles, and when the camera lens is equipped with a polarizing lens on a sunshiny day then pointed toward the sky at a 90-degree angle to the sun, you get some amazingly rich blue sky hues to background your images, like the several included below.

The image at the top of this post was taken near the conclusion of the 0.7-mile loop trail above the main lakeside trail (which is about a mile on its own) on the back, non-cabin side of the lake. This side trail climbs the steep wooded hill overlooking the lake to allow hikers to explore the forest. The horseshoe loop levels off briefly at the top of the hill before turning downhill to return hikers to the main trail encircling the lake. For most of the loop trail, the forest is so thick you cannot see the lake. The view above, again very close to where the loop trail rejoins the main trail, is the earliest you would see the lake on the descent, but it lets you know you're heading in the right direction.

Without further adieu, here are the remaining images from my trail walks during a recent visit to Wasatch Lake in Owen County, Ind., the second of three blog installments from the trip. Installment No 1, posted Monday, featured images of the lake. Post No. 3, which will come in the next day or so, will focus on wildlife on the grounds.

To view a gallery of my full shoot at Wasatch Lake in 2010, visit my online site at SmugMug.com.  

The portion of the main lakeside trail on the cabin side of the lake actually overlaps the gravel road (above) used by cars and maintenance vehicles to access the various cabins.  

At the far northeast end of the lake, where a wooden pedestrian bridge separates the lake from Beaver Pond, there is a seating area furnished also with the above sundial (side shot below).

Above, a look at the trail ahead -- and a late-afternoon light at the end of the wooded "tunnel."

Above, some ornamental grass along the wooden pedestrian bridge (below) at the far northeast end of the lake. In the image below, you can see the above grass on the left side at the far end of the bridge. The option to climb the 0.7-mile loop trail up the wooded hill begins about 15 yards beyond the end of this bridge and to the right. 

Above, log catching some spot sunlight from a late-afternoon sun.

Above and below, some more "down the trail" looks inside the forest area. The frame below is part of the descent of the loop trail above the lake; the frame above is part of the main lake trail and taken behind cabins along the east side of the lake.

Above, another birdhouse.

Above and below, two images of the filter-enriched sky serving as a nice background to fall colors and tree trunks mostly silhouetted from backlight.

Above, a view hikers encounter on the west end of the lakeside trail, near the west end damn where there's another wooden bridge.

Above and below: On the nature trails a bit removed from the lake and main residential area -- and separated by another wooded area -- hikers come upon the tennis court (above), which is available to cabin renters to use, and a small pond (below). 

Above and below: Perspective and closeup images of a birdhouse along the main lakeside trail.

Above, a solitary leaf spotlighted by a late-afternoon sun.

Above, the renter check-in building and maintenance garage, which features an antique Texaco gasoline pump (non-functional) and a classic Coca-Cola sign.

A final look at a hiking trail. This view is from the nature trail away from the main lake grounds -- taken from ground level low ... and with shallow depth of field.