Travis Butler
Well-Known Member
It started with a dead-end road...
![53333352749_9b6875b474_k_d.jpg 53333352749_9b6875b474_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1861-18fa3c96a2e52e8cf605d4984b7d4bf2.jpg)
The water level in El Dorado Lake in south-central Kansas has been dropping dramatically in the last several months; I've been taking pictures from a vantage point on the Flint Hills Scenic Byway since August. On this trip to Wichita, I wanted to find a different vantage point, so I decided to follow a sign promising boat ramps. Which led me here...
![53333238038_bc543307cc_k_d.jpg 53333238038_bc543307cc_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1862-6d7aceb3e954af1b1b33fdafdbe93c90.jpg)
A blocked-off road and a bridge, but still no clue what's beyond it.
![53333237953_c98b076a47_k_d.jpg 53333237953_c98b076a47_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1863-7fb04373b3cee793e255094d7dedfed1.jpg)
The bridge itself still looked pretty intact...
![53333352499_1c12d01902_k_d.jpg 53333352499_1c12d01902_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1864-99a766e329a11c47d21ce934e7092e2b.jpg)
...until you got close.
![53333011221_f6660c1804_k_d.jpg 53333011221_f6660c1804_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1865-c47bd14e966126c31708772ca71c21eb.jpg)
And it still wasn't clear what this was. What was the bridge crossing, and where was it going?
![53332132842_0b76c5facd_k_d.jpg 53332132842_0b76c5facd_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1866-416fdc0c07e424691bda7ccc3e6ff9be.jpg)
Once across, the road deteriorated, overgrown and with trees popping up through the asphalt.
![53333011076_4de6ff3723_k_d.jpg 53333011076_4de6ff3723_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1867-da3d4f26e75e2cd154cdfe23f93515eb.jpg)
Near the edge, it was crumbling away; I believe the flat area at left is normally covered by water.
![53333352359_99487560ce_k_d.jpg 53333352359_99487560ce_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1868-85c76c82fe3f37dd5f4197ec56b3e849.jpg)
And here we see the lake view I was originally looking for, as well as what this used to be - a causeway crossing an arm of the lake. (When I got home, I looked up the exact location... https://maps.app.goo.gl/VLg2o9xGKnY1z469A ) You can see how far the water level has fallen; the entire plain should be water.
![53333469440_c83e192559_k_d.jpg 53333469440_c83e192559_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1869-ef94cb4a71cb49dbe83d02b03f732449.jpg)
![53333237753_c9b03927e2_k_d.jpg 53333237753_c9b03927e2_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1870-c6f2d71eb2f22b8798968a3e1b19d37b.jpg)
Another view of how the road is crumbling away. I like the colors here - blue/red/green/grey.
![53333237578_3afc40ba61_k_d.jpg 53333237578_3afc40ba61_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1871-7202d5ea76b4170d782fa0c6929e84a6.jpg)
Turned around and heading back.
![53333237698_3235ad8690_k_d.jpg 53333237698_3235ad8690_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1874-ec1b07560d2d6de091b2b8665b40c79a.jpg)
Again, this should all be water.
![53332132427_427a83bddb_k_d.jpg 53332132427_427a83bddb_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1872-0f86a4ca0ee14bd872df59089d316c15.jpg)
![53333469265_5307bae801_k_d.jpg 53333469265_5307bae801_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1873-d8e12cfd7543037572be63c81a7ba202.jpg)
A last bit of graffiti on the bridge. Interesting to see the Colorado flag here.
![53333352749_9b6875b474_k_d.jpg 53333352749_9b6875b474_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1861-18fa3c96a2e52e8cf605d4984b7d4bf2.jpg)
The water level in El Dorado Lake in south-central Kansas has been dropping dramatically in the last several months; I've been taking pictures from a vantage point on the Flint Hills Scenic Byway since August. On this trip to Wichita, I wanted to find a different vantage point, so I decided to follow a sign promising boat ramps. Which led me here...
![53333238038_bc543307cc_k_d.jpg 53333238038_bc543307cc_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1862-6d7aceb3e954af1b1b33fdafdbe93c90.jpg)
A blocked-off road and a bridge, but still no clue what's beyond it.
![53333237953_c98b076a47_k_d.jpg 53333237953_c98b076a47_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1863-7fb04373b3cee793e255094d7dedfed1.jpg)
The bridge itself still looked pretty intact...
![53333352499_1c12d01902_k_d.jpg 53333352499_1c12d01902_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1864-99a766e329a11c47d21ce934e7092e2b.jpg)
...until you got close.
![53333011221_f6660c1804_k_d.jpg 53333011221_f6660c1804_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1865-c47bd14e966126c31708772ca71c21eb.jpg)
And it still wasn't clear what this was. What was the bridge crossing, and where was it going?
![53332132842_0b76c5facd_k_d.jpg 53332132842_0b76c5facd_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1866-416fdc0c07e424691bda7ccc3e6ff9be.jpg)
Once across, the road deteriorated, overgrown and with trees popping up through the asphalt.
![53333011076_4de6ff3723_k_d.jpg 53333011076_4de6ff3723_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1867-da3d4f26e75e2cd154cdfe23f93515eb.jpg)
Near the edge, it was crumbling away; I believe the flat area at left is normally covered by water.
![53333352359_99487560ce_k_d.jpg 53333352359_99487560ce_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1868-85c76c82fe3f37dd5f4197ec56b3e849.jpg)
And here we see the lake view I was originally looking for, as well as what this used to be - a causeway crossing an arm of the lake. (When I got home, I looked up the exact location... https://maps.app.goo.gl/VLg2o9xGKnY1z469A ) You can see how far the water level has fallen; the entire plain should be water.
![53333469440_c83e192559_k_d.jpg 53333469440_c83e192559_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1869-ef94cb4a71cb49dbe83d02b03f732449.jpg)
![53333237753_c9b03927e2_k_d.jpg 53333237753_c9b03927e2_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1870-c6f2d71eb2f22b8798968a3e1b19d37b.jpg)
Another view of how the road is crumbling away. I like the colors here - blue/red/green/grey.
![53333237578_3afc40ba61_k_d.jpg 53333237578_3afc40ba61_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1871-7202d5ea76b4170d782fa0c6929e84a6.jpg)
Turned around and heading back.
![53333237698_3235ad8690_k_d.jpg 53333237698_3235ad8690_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1874-ec1b07560d2d6de091b2b8665b40c79a.jpg)
Again, this should all be water.
![53332132427_427a83bddb_k_d.jpg 53332132427_427a83bddb_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1872-0f86a4ca0ee14bd872df59089d316c15.jpg)
![53333469265_5307bae801_k_d.jpg 53333469265_5307bae801_k_d.jpg](https://l-mount-forum.com/community/data/attachments/1/1873-d8e12cfd7543037572be63c81a7ba202.jpg)
A last bit of graffiti on the bridge. Interesting to see the Colorado flag here.
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