Caddo Lake
MILL POND AT CADDO LAKE
Caddo Lake State Park, TX
Caddo Lake, found deep in the heart of East Texas, is a unique swamp area filled with moss-covered Bald Cypress trees, with an abundance of wildlife, and is home to a unique ecosystem with remarkable biodiversity.
But, for a few weeks in November, this special place transforms into a magical, mystical hideaway that provides some of the most beautiful fall colors the south has to offer. Pastel colors placed atop the gray bald cypress trees with perfectly still waters (and sometimes a layer of fog rising from the water) can create lasting memories and an amazing photography experience.
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
Get to Know Caddo Lake
Click here to view the Caddo Lake Fall Colors Photography Guide
Trail Difficulty - EASY
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 1 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being the most difficult). The walk from the Mill Pond parking area at Caddo Lake State Park to this location of the shot is only about 20 yds. The only challenge is you may have to stand in the mud (or water) to get this shot.
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
166 Ft. Elevation
View In Google earth
Directions
CLICK HERE to get driving directions to Mill Pod (Caddo Lake State Park)
From Shreveport, drive west on Blanchard Latex Rd (which turns into FM1999) for about 15 miles until you come to FM 134. Turn right (north on FM1999) and travel 5.2 miles until you hit the small community of Karnack. Continue north on 2606 for about a mile until you hit 2198. Turn left for a few feet at the stop sign and then turn right into Caddo Lake State Park.
From Dallas - travel east for about 115 miles toward Marshall, TX. From Marshall, travel about 15 miles until you reach 134/2198 and turn right. Travel on 2198 for under a mile and turn left into Caddo Lake State Park.
From the state park entrance, drive to the visitors center and check-in. After checking in, drive north through the park (about 1/2 mile) and turn left at the end (sign for Mill Pond campsites). After a 100yds or so, you will see the Mill Pond and a parking area on the right. Directly in front of the parking area are two piers you can shoot from.
The location of this shot is on the shoreline, directly next to the larger pier (see the image below).
Photography Tips
In my time photographing around Caddo Lake, I found it best to shoot either early morning (before the sun crest the trees on the north of the pond) or evening to dusk (after the sun no longer touches the trees to the north of the pond) and use long(er) exposures when possible. Those two principles came into play while taking the image above.
The trees and moss around this area are primarily gray during the fall, and the leaves are what provide the stunning colors and contrast. Additionally, the pond during the blue/golden hours is relatively still, which can provide perfect reflections. However, I found reflections from the pond were better with a little movement to give it depth. For this reason, I shot this image after sunset and used a 3-second exposure (with a polarizing filter).
I am not trying to say that the only time to shoot Bald Cypress trees is during the early mornings/evenings with long(er) exposures - as there are many other opportunities for good light during a cloudy day with intermittent light. Most of my favorite shots were from this time/exposure.
EXIF Data
Focal Length – 200 mm
Exposure – 1/6 sec @ f 8.0
ISO – 100
Date – Nov 10th
Time – 4:38 pm
Other Images From This Location
Best Time of Day to Shoot
When photographing the trees around Mill Pond (Caddo Lake State Park) - the best time to shoot is around sunset to dusk and early hours before sunrise - or on a cloudy day. However, many good images can be found at all times during the day under the right conditions/compositions.
Specific to Mill Pond - for this particular location (Mill Pond), I found it best to shoot west/north (see image below) in the morning and east/north at sunset - as shooting the opposite direction will often produce backlit/flat photos. My favorite time to shoot Mill Pond is at or after SUNSET. Don't quit shooting at sunset, as some of the best light is 10-30 after sunset.
The main shot above was taken at 5:24 pm when the sunset was @ 5:18 pm.
Best Time of Year
Photographing around Caddo Lake/Mill Pond can be done any time of year. However, this area is at its best early to mid-November (6th - 15th) - when the leaves turn lime green, yellow, orange, and red. The brown/gray trees with the unsaturated moss colors provide a stunning contrast with the colorful foliage during that time. The scenes appear almost surreal and look like a painting. However, the trees are real and fun to observe and photograph.
The main shot above was taken on Nov 11th.
Timing in 2021
In 2021, I went to Caddo Lake two separate times - Nov 9 - 12th & Nov 15 - 17th. All of the images I kept were from Nov 9 - 12th, and my memory recalls other photographers telling me the colors had more green in the few days before I arrived.
On my return on Nov 15th, I remember the reds had turned brown, and the yellows, oranges, and greens were pretty much gone.
As we all know, the timing for color change is unpredictable at best. I am just noting my experience in 2021.
Lens(es) Needed
When shooting at the Mill Pond - I brought a 24-105mm and a 70-200mm lens. Of the 50+ images I took, all but 2 were taken with the 70-200mm lens. This is my shooting style, and I did not want to include the sky in any images. Your compositions may be different.
The image above was taken @ 200 mm, f8 for 1/6 seconds, and ISO 100.
Birds-Eye View
Permits
Mill Pond is located at the end of Caddo Lake State Park. Entrance fees for the beautiful state park are $4 daily.
Direction of the Shot
The direction of the shot is northwest at 79°.
Equipment Needed
In addition to a sturdy tripod, you can use the following equipment (depending on your composition and sense of adventure):
1) Polarizing Filter, 2) ND filter(s) from 3 to 6 stops to enable very long exposures to create motion in the water, and 3) waders or muck boots to walk along / stand in the water along the shoreline. You might consider bringing some bug spray (if you are shooting along the shoreline) and a flashlight.
Shooting from the water
Kayaks and canoes are allowed on Mill Pond (private and rented from the Caddo Lake State Park). The Mill Pond is only about 3-5 ft deep, so you can use either photograph from the kayak/canoe (handheld or place the tripod in the kayak) or place your long tripod in the lake (next to you while in the kayak). Neither is perfect, but floating in the pond provides a different perspective from the pier or shoreline.
Even on a seemly perfectly still pond, the kayak still moves/drifts - so you will need to adjust your ISO to keep your shutter speed above 1/30 of a second or so. When shooting from a tripod in the pond, the bottom is MUCK, and trying to shoot a long exposure is very challenging.
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
Photographing Bald Cypress trees has become very popular, and Caddo Lake has taken off with popularity during November. However, the shooting at Mill Pond (Nov 2021) was never overly crowded. As mentioned, there are two piers and a lot of shorelines - so I never felt crowded or stressed about where I could stand. The larger pier holds about 10-15 photographers with tripods, and you can shoot in any direction.
Weather
When you think of Texas swamps, you think of HOT and MUGGY. However, the weather in Texas from November to April is very nice, and the humidity is modest. In November, around Caddo Lake, you can expect temperatures to be modest, with lows in the '30-the '40s and highs in the '70s.
Fog
There are times in November (when the temperatures dip into the 30's°) when the air temps fall and reach the dew point, and fog appears on the Mill Pod. When it does, grab your camera and be ready for a great photo.
Cell Service
I have Verizon, and I had good cell service everywhere, including Mill Pond.
Lodging & Camping
Caddo Lake State Park is close to the community of Uncertain, TX (pop 92) and is about 15 miles from the town of Marshall, TX. There are several hotels/lodges around the community of Uncertain. Caddo Lake State Park is a great state park with cabins, RV hookups, or camping (van or ten). The prices are reasonable, and the location of the shoots on this page is just a few yards from the camping area.
Nearby camping and lodging
Camping - click on the campground below for directions
Caddo Lake State Park (on location)
Backwater Jacks (5 miles)
Buffalo Bayou RV Park (7 miles)
Nearby Restaurants
The closest community to Mill Pond (at the Caddo Lake State Park) is Uncertain, TX. This area has limited eating establishments. I found myself going to breakfast or lunch at Circle S Country Store. This is a very small cafe in a gas station, and I am not recommending it. However, they had a decent breakfast and a pretty good burger for lunch.
Area Guides and Workshops
Local Tour Guides
Big Cypress Tours - 903-570-3319 Caddo Lake Boat Tours. Mike knows what photographers are looking for and knows where to take you to get the great shot. If Mike is full, he can provide other tour guides.
Kayaks / Canoe Rentals
Ole Mossy’s Up River Kayak - 903-679-9449
Photography Workshops