I&M Canal Bike Trail Photos
Ride Into Utica

Fall Photo Page 11
(click on any photo to enlarge)
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This was a wide and shallow part of the canal, river or one of its tributaries as we continued our ride on the I&M Trail a few miles west of Utica.

There were a number of camping sites right next to the trail in this area with signs that said "Permits are available at Buffalo Rock State Park Office" (although I did not see anyone camping here). When I looked on the maps it did not look like this was actually in the park but I believe that it may be part of the Buffalo Rock State Park.

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The river was shallow and the riverbed was colorful and interesting looking at this location. This location is also very close to Starved Rock State Park although that is on the other side of the Illinois River.

There were also a number of locations labeled as campgrounds on this part of the trail so I assume that they allow people to camp here (and right next to the trail in some cases). This particular "campground" (D) had a pavilion where we stopped for lunch.

Dale on his recumbent with the colorful trees of the I&M canal trail in the background.

Here's the sign just before passing through the town of Utica showing Split Rock as 2 miles further west (which is where we turned around on this ride).

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Just after you pass through the town of Utica you go under this iron or steel bridge just before a pretty colorful and scenic part of the trail.

This is a scene on the Illinois and Michigan Canal Trail is from just past the bridge shown above.This was right before the part of the trail were we kept seeing this Blue Heron which would only let us get so close then fly a little further down the canal trail until we got closer again and it would fly off again. We have a few photos of this Heron on the next page in this photo tour.