TaDah! Winner!   But, not on the lake end, closer to the PCT junction. You know what it means to win.   D 2

I've only been there mid-summer so didn't realize the fall color was so strong. Once it was narrowed down so well it struck me that the topography was right. What trail was this photograph taken from?  

Is this new photo of a trail still in the Olallie Lake Area? Don

Yes   Bryon

I think you are at the foot of Potato Butte on the trail of the same name.   D 2

You've convinced me that's what you are thinking, but your location is a ways off. The climb on this section of trail is steep, but short so it disappears pretty much between the contour intervals on the maps. Bryon

The only other trail that goes up any kind of hill in that area is the Double Peaks trail?

This spot isn't actually on a hill, mountain or butte. There is a short steep section of trail along what otherwise is a gently rising route like most of the trails in the Olallie Highlands. You are getting closer however. Bryon

Were there any bugs there? Just kidding.   I now think you were on Red Lake Trail. But not bold enough to say exactly where.   D 2

Does that "pond" in the picture have a ladies name?

Is that the shoulder of Campbell Butte in the background?

Either that or Pyramid, but I didn't ID them while I was there. Bryon

Since its been over a day since any guesses were made, here is some more information. This is going to be a real forehead-slapper once someone gets it. I was focused on the pond and forest when I snapped the photo and spent no attention on the slope behind it. I've now spent a little more time on that slope in the background in relation to the photo and now believe that slope is more likely Olallie Butte itself. An early (and the closest) guess so far has been Double Peaks Trail. This is not that namewise but is a great approach to get there. Bryon

Were you standing on the trail when you snapped your photo?  If so, I would say that the pond is more to the east than to the south in relation to your camera lens. Does your photo have a time/date stamp you'd be willing to share? Maybe some solar geometry will help us figure this out.

Were you standing on the trail when you snapped your photo?  If so, I would say that the pond is more to the east than to the south in relation to your camera lens. Does your photo have a time/date stamp you'd be willing to share? Maybe some solar geometry will help us figure this out.

Well I've never seen the system goof up like this before. Sent only the quote I made and not my reply! To repeat what did not send: Picture date is 7/24/2007. Picture angle is south of east. The trail involved heads basically east to west, so a little earlier and this pond is directly south of the trail. Bryon

I'm a little stumped by your recent hint.  If the trail goes east west, it seems like all the candidates have already been guessed?  (Red Lake, PCT, Double Peaks)  I'm sure it is not Horseshoe Lake trail.  I do see a small water pond on the east end of the Lodgepole trail.  Is that it?

So Bryon, is this trail a current trail in the Olallie Lakes area or an abandoned one? If it is not abandoned, is it the Lodgepole Trail? Don

Rob - out of your list of names there is one that actually not mentioned yet. The trail in question - and a second slightly shorter trail - will get you to the dead end Double Peaks Trail #735. Since Double Peaks Trail starts close to two miles into a hike up there on a trail named something else, I did not consider Double Peaks Trail a correct answer. I did state something to that effect earlier. Don - it is very much not abandoned. A steady stream of through hikers. Lodgepole Trail is quite a ways off. Most or all of you have been on this trail, but since you probably just got out of your car, you may have breezed by without noticing this pond on your way up to the viewpoints and sub-alpine lakes above. Bryon