Upon visiting my spot this week, I noticed some definite changes in the landscape of Salmon Hole. First of all, due to the increase in rain in the past week, the water level was visibly higher, with more areas of the exposed rock face covered by small pools of water. In addition, the water was definitely flowing more rapidly, and was significantly deeper as well – waterproof boots are a must when exploring! Besides the change in water level, many of the trees, which previously were just beginning to transition to their beautiful autumn hues, have fully blossomed into various shades of crimson, amber, and golden yellow, and the once dirt paths around the park are now blanketed in a quilt of fallen leaves. The only signs of animals I could find were through the paw prints pressed into the sandy shores of the Winooski River, clearly left by that day’s dog walkers, clearly not wildlife. Due to the minimal vegetation immediately surrounding my location, I doubt the area has much wildlife at all besides the salmon and other fish that swim in the river. But on this particular afternoon even the fish were absent; in the past, the river was littered with various fishermen hoping for a lucky catch, but now they were absent. As temperatures continue to drop and threats of snow begin to appear in the forecast, one can only imagine what Salmon Hole will look like in a few weeks or even days.
