Fall Sunshine at Baker River

I realized recently that I hadn't been to the Baker River trail this year, and it's one of my favorite places. So, I paid the trail a visit, wanting to go while the weather and fall colors were still nice. As always, the trail was very quiet, with only a handful of hikers past the bridge. Like the Old Sauk Trail, which I visited prior to this trip, the Baker River trail isn't thought of as a conventional "fall hike," but there were plenty of colorful bigleaf maples to light the way. I also enjoyed the sunny riverbanks; the low water level meant that there was more dry riverbed to explore than usual.

First, a view over the Baker River from a tiny beach along the trail. I don't remember it always being there, so perhaps it only appears when water levels are low, or it's a recent deposit. I was most excited about the mountains peeking out of the fog bank in the distance, but I also like the look of the rocks under the river's surface. F/14.

Here's a nice forest shot, with bigleaf maple leaves, trunks, and branches the stars of the show. F/14.

Here's another river view, from nearer the trailhead. At that location, the main river channel was so narrow and far away that traversing the dry, rocky river bed was a walk in its own right. I'm glad I made the trek, though! I wanted a composition that would highlight the colorful hillside on the opposite side of the river. F/16.

One final forest shot, with red alder trunks in the foreground. F/16.