I guess we forgot.
Strenuous means strenuous when it comes to trails in Parks Canada. We have taken a couple hikes with great views of the Bay and of waterfalls. They come with lots of exposed tree roots, rock hopping, ravine scaling, and steep slopes covered with loose stone. The trail crew seems to want to be certain that hikers are not too pampered.
Backdrop: every trailhead includes a sign reminding hikers how to act when encountering coyotes, moose and bear. No biggy. We have heard it all before…when do you fight? Play dead? Hide behind something? We know how to take care of ourselves. Plus, the bear spray is in my backpack just for good measure. So, off on the trail for sunset over the ocean.
A well maintained trail across open heather fields, poplar thickets, and through groves of salt stunted pine. No wildlife that we had hoped for/expected but some more of the Cape Breton signature cliffside views from numerous rocky heads that jut into the sea.
About three miles into the walk we reach the crest of the last headland. Stretching out in front of us is an elaborate, stepped boardwalk. It lies right against the soil and is broken into dozens of terraced platforms dotted with benches. It blends wonderfully into the headland and invites us to take a seat and wait for the show.
The wind blows. The evening cools. It is a subtle sunset, nothing too showy. Still, nature can draw you right in.
Now, time to boogie out of here before it gets too dark and the local critters come out. Back on the main trail; this part is flat and well groomed. We set a quick pace. Hearing is on high alert. Peripheral vision is in overdrive. I admit a fleeting thought that maybe this wasn’t the greatest idea that we ever had. But, all ended well. We were back at the car with still a little light of dusk remaining. If we passed critters, we never knew it and I hope we didn’t offend them. It was a great night for us.
Throughout the day we squeezed in a little more whale watching (unfortunately not more whale seeing) and spotted a moose quite well camouflaged in the trees along the road.
We got the skinny from the Ranger for the best places for moose sightings. Off we go. Before long there is a fleeting glimpse of a big brown moose butt disappearing into the trees along the road. Not a very satisfing sighting. We continue on.
First stop, the trail to Benji Lake. It was an easy walk through low poplar and pine. We spotted the lake over the last rise and slowly, quietly eased onto the boardwalk. Nothing! For half an hour we watched. A few ducks made a showing but no moose. Bummers.
Stop two: the Bog hike. Sounds like a place where moose might be, right? Mosquitoes too? We spied some pretty cool orchid-like swamp flowers. No mosquitoes (thankfully) but no moose either.
Stop three: French lake. Bingo! A cow moose contently munching on pond grass. We stayed and watched a while. They are certainly noisy eaters.
Egypt Falls Cape Breton NS.
The trail is straight AND straight down. It has some loose rock and a few slippery spots but manageable. Encounter stage two of a Canadian off-the-beaten-path trail. A rope is tied along the side of the trail. It is knotted to trees along the way, really pretty well done by someone. It is the guide rope to allow us to maneuver the really steep sections. We scramble and climb on well placed roots and rocks to make it to the floor of the steep mountain valley. The waterfalls that greet us are beautiful. It has rained recently and the flow spreads across the wide stone wall. Ferns and tufts of rich green grass dot the ledges and pool edges. The water is cool and the air hangs with moisture all around this place. We stay a while.
A stroll alongside a quiet creek with a couple little waterfalls was a nice diversion this afternoon.
It is a feast for the senses. Boulder strewn hillsides and ridges covered in an airy, green, lush understory. There are bright splashes of white mountain laurel. Brilliant gold spotlights and ever moving shadows dance across it all as the summer sun breaks through the oak canopy high overhead. The steep rock outcroppings provide a wonderful view of deep green mountains all around us. The whole place has this deep earthy smell of forest floor with the occasional surprise when I pass through blooming laurel thickets. Sections are quiet with only the sound of our footsteps and birds in the treetops. Sometimes there is the sound of a babbling creek. We can not escape for long from the sound of traffic below, the sight of houses marring distant hillsides, or people on the trail. If only we could bottle those moments. We are exploring the Catskills and the preserve lands around them.
This section of the AT runs a ridge to a perched, glacier formed pool, Sunfish Pond. The water is clear and acidic from the decaying leaves so there are not many fish. There were absolutely huge frogs though and a number of snakes who seemed to have a knack for using the very rocks I wanted to stand on. No mishaps but a couple quick reverses for me.
A very young fawn was running circles around its mom. To both his and our surprise he popped out right onto the trail. He froze then watched curiously for a bit before taking off for mom. They watched us from a nice safe distance as we went on down the trail. There were quite a few more deer throughout the day but he was the cutest.
We hiked the Appalachian Trail (AT) up to Sunfish Pond in Delaware Water Gap and took other trails around the pond. We had made such good time we decided to take in the view from Mt Tammany on the way back. It made for a 10 mile day but the real surprise was the last 1 mile down from Mt Tammany. We knew it would be steep since we were dropping 1,000 feet in 1 mile but what we did not know is that it came with long sections of boulder hopping. Oh, and just to keep it interesting, as we arrived at the overlook we could see the wall of rain coming our way. So after admiring the view for a few we began our scramble down the wet slippery boulder fields. It was just a bit of challenge for our already tired legs. Overall it was a great hike though. The original plan was to do this hike in 2 days with an overnight along the ridge, “good plan”! Three days of rainy weather kept us from that option. The trail campsite was beautiful.
Sunfish Pond, Delaware Water Gap
We wandered out through an un-mowed field and came across a female turkey. She didn’t hurry off like they typically do. She nervously paced back and forth softly clucking. Odd. Turns out she had a whole brood hidden in the grass. Cool. I hope she got them all gathered back up. We couldn’t see them once they scattered.
Miniature forests of cypress and buttonwood dot the sawgrass prairie atop the “high spots”. These high spots are maybe 2 feet higher in elevation than the sawgrass but that means they are not flooded as deeply during rainy season. They are effectively isolated from one another and some species have developed uniquely in each of them, much like species found in far apart continents. Really cool. A tree snail has evolved into 43 different species that are differentiated by color and patterns on their shells. No two hammocks have the same snail. They are biologically separate species.