Choosing Belle Isle for Summer Family Photos
“How do you feel about bridges?”
Belle Isle is a perfect spot for family photos because of the wide variety of spots to pause for photos. There’s shaded and unshaded areas, rushing water and a still pond, rock walls and green (in June) trees and tall grasses that really make it easy to find a beautiful backdrop.
The challenge is the bridge. There are actually two bridges to access Belle Isle, one on the north side of the river and one on the south. But the bridge to the south side meets a trail and a lot of stairs, which is rather inaccessible to strollers and wagons, which we had with us when we visited. So we opted for the north side bridge, the long, winding, mountainous bridge that spans the river and heightens the anxiety of parents of toddlers who insist on walking across themselves.
Once you get across though, the path is level, even if it’s a little bumpy for a wagon, and it’s wide, so the bikers and faster walkers and joggers can all pass by without us being in the way.
The trail is mostly shaded so you can stop for water as much as you need.
And the shaded clearings (is that an oxymoron?) where you can pull off and change a diaper, or eat a snack, or pause for photos, are perfect.
The pond is one of my favorite spots to stop, where the water is so still and reflective, and the trail bumps and sags (it has eroded a bit) toward a rock wall where big boulders sit at the foot of the wall. It’s a fun little spot to hang out for a little bit, to let toddlers wander in a relatively safe space without wandering away, while you focus on the baby for a minute, and get some photos while she takes a break.
The rocks on the river are a popular area for play and photos, even if you need to keep a sharp eye on the kids. They’re mostly unshaded during the day, since they’re out in the river, but not undoable for some fun photos.
I almost always prefer to meet you at home for your summer family photos, for lots of different reasons (the weather being one of them). But if we’re going to be outside, Belle Isle is a great spot to choose, with all the shade it provides.
Just remember to bring snacks for the walk back to the car. She might be done by then.