In photos: an afternoon in Duluth's Hartley Park

On a Sunday afternoon in early October, I spent what felt like 10 minutes -- it was actually two hours -- exploring Hartley Park on Duluth's east side. I brought a camera. IMG_4976

Some trees in Duluth's Hartley Park -- like these, glistening in the sun near the head of a quiet trail -- already have changed into brilliant golds and yellows. Others still cling to the deep greens of summer.

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Further down the same trail, leaves and pine needles are strewn across the path leading toward a small field, where sun spills onto the knee-high grass.

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Hartley Park crests at scenic Rock Knob, where a bird's-eye view reveals early fall colors setting in along the Lake Superior shoreline.

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From above, a peek at Duluth's Woodland neighborhood, as seen through the trees being whipped atop the park's windy summit.

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On the climb down from Rock Knob, one small tree appears caught between the seasons.

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Leaves crunch with each step, trees create a natural archway and sunlight illuminates the path back down the hill.

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Pine needles serve as a prickly coat for this mossy log, resting in the shade from the trees still standing.

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Like flecks of gold, changed leaves stick out among their still-green brothers and sisters.

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From the branches of some trees hang clumps of reddish fruit, the occasional piece -- resembling a miniature apple -- losing its grip and falling to the ground.

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Only travelers on foot are welcome beyond these wooden planks, which begin a sinuous path toward Tischer Creek.

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Sun bakes the south side of this tree as early evening arrives in the forest.

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High-reaching trees frame a bridge that carries travelers between sunlight and shadows.

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Tischer Creek wraps its way around the Woodland neighborhood, cuts through Hartley Pond and funnels finally into Lake Superior.

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Downstream, a piece of driftwood joins a cluster of rocks to create a natural mini-dam, stirring up a small pool of foam.

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Two hours after I entered, one last look at the trees that stand guard near the outskirts of the park.

 

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