I&M Canal Bike Trail Fall Photos
West of Utica to Split Rock

Fall Photo Page 12
(click on any photo to enlarge)
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We saw this blue heron a little further west of Utica on the I&M canal trail and were actually able to get fairly close before it flew off.

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Dale managed to get some photos of the blue heron flying off to its next location. We caught up to the heron a few more times and repeated the whole scene again each time.

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Above is a view from of the canal from the I&M canal trail with a reflection of the fall colors in the water below. 

This close to where we turned around on the canal trail (just before Split Rock). Split Rock is actually only a few miles from the western end of the trail in the Lasalle, Peru area but based on our ride time and how much daylight we had to get back we were already cutting it pretty close so we were not actually able to make it to the western end of the trail (so close though). It did start to get pretty dark just as we got back to where we parked.

At first I thought that Split Rock might be a town or something but it turns out that it is just what is says. A "Split Rock" (with a tunnel going through it). This is where we turned around to go back east again (we needed to get back before we ran out of daylight).

Earlier I had mentioned that there are mile markers all along the trail to let you know where you are. Here is an example which shows that we were 3.5 miles from Buffalo State Park at this point. There is also interesting information on the I&M Canal on each of these signs.  This particular sign talks about the canal closing in 1933 and the parts that remain but are no longer visable.

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A very colorful view of the I&M Trail with a small opening in the trees off in the distance.