Pulaski

This year has turned out to be a pretty spectacular year for fall colors. Not only were the colors vibrant, but they seemed to stick around a lot longer than they have in years past. They've stuck around long enough that you can see fall colors now mixed with Christmas decorations. So here are a few pictures of some fall colors, taken around Pulaski County. Perhaps the best place to start would be from the top of the tallest peak in the county - Shinall Mountain. The mountain is 1,068 feet tall, and is home to several massive TV and radio towers that stand on its summit. From the top you have this view of Pinnacle Mountain, which is the second tallest peak in the county (it reaches a mere 1,013 ft).



About 400,000 people live in Pulaski County, and yet there are still many places that are rural and lightly-populated (it helps that the county is big, and stretches from the edge of the Delta to the foothills of the Ouachitas). This old covered bridge sits hidden away down a country road...





This more modern bridge nearby was reflected in the waters of the Little Maumelle River.



And along another rural road was this old barn...



In downtown Little Rock there is the county courthouse, which was built in 1887.



On the eastern and southern edges of the county, you can find the swampy and flat lands of the Delta. One great place to visit is the Lorance Creek Natural Area, which protects a shallow groundwater-fed swamp.



On the edge of Little Rock is Two Rivers Park, which contains about 1000 acres at the confluence of the Arkansas and Little Maumelle Rivers. Several miles of trails cross the park, including this popular trail that runs beneath these towering pine trees.



And then with the infrared camera:



I headed back out to Two Rivers Park a few days later, and got this shot from the bridge that spans the Little Maumelle River. It makes you wonder how expensive those homes up on the hillside are.



And finally, in the plaza at the base of the bridge was this one tree that shined brightly on the otherwise overcast day: