About thirty Starved Rock Walkers drove to Matthiessen State Park and walked (counterclockwise) around the Lake. A cold winter's day with occasional spills of sunshine.

 Down the stairs to the canyon rim.

 A trail view across the canyon to the stairs into the upper dells. Summer vegetation does not allow such views.

 Nearly everyone attached their traction for this walk.

 There are a few places where the rim trail is sliding into the canyon.

 FYI - This nylon rope will not slow your 85-foot bounce to the canyon floor.

 Walkers trudging and talking along the rim trail.

 A trail view up a tributary creek. No ice falls here!

A view along the half-mile accessible sidewalk to the Lake bridge. 

 Across the bridge is the accessible ramp up to the Lake Shelter parking lot.

 A trail view across the frozen Lake to Lake Shelter, the lower level of which was a boat house when the Lake was eight feet higher.

 In the summer this trail is closed in and under the green canopy tunnel. You can see much further in the winter.

 There were no large splashes at our hardest stream crossing.

 Unlike SRSP, the Matthiessen Lake trail is for multiple users. We saw none of these.

 None of these either!

 It was apparent that three large "dogs" broke trail for us this morning.

 Now we know where we were and where we are going.

 The trail skirts the Deer Park Golf Course. This is not a missing cart!

 A tral view up into the Lake Shelter.

 Walkers climbing from the Lake Trail up to the bridge.

 Nobody doesn't like the Lake Matthiessen Bridge!

 The required acraphobic view over the bridge rail on the water falling 45-feet down the lake dam.

 A down canyon view from the Lake Bridge NOT screened by summer vegetation.

SR Walkers to the left. Choosing the path less-travelled has made a difference!

There is a movie wherein Morpheus says,

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path."