As mentioned in an earlier post, our time in Algonquin Provincial Park was split pretty much evenly between paddling and hiking. The trails we hiked, Beaver Pond, Mizzy Lake, Lookout, Spruce Bog Boardwalk, and Bat Lake  were all a short drive on Hwy 60 from our campsite at Pog Lake along the park’s southern edge.

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Most of the trails go through very biologically diverse areas with fascinating flowers, fungi and forest floor creatures. While the trails are not especially difficult, good hiking shoes, lightweight slacks and a long sleeve shirt, and insect repellent, especially in the early summer, will make the experience a lot more enjoyable. To fully appreciate these places it’s a good idea to allow enough time so you can really look around otherwise you’ll be missing most of what’s going on.

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Below is a record of some of the things we saw:

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On you way to hike there’s always the chance you may have to rescue something.

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The trails were varied with the woods often opening up into some beautiful views.

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Different types of fungi were everywhere.

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.   .   .  and lichen too!

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By late June many of the orchids have already come and gone. However, we were fortunate to see a few.

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There were other flowers and plants to fascinate.

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It doesn’t seem like you can go anywhere in Algonquin without seeing Sundew.

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We had high expectations of seeing and photographing warblers. Birds were heard, especially Winter Wrens, but because of the leaf cover few were seen (we did manage to see Magnolias, Northern Parulas, and Yellow-rumps)  but few were photographed.

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Along the trail we were never far from the “handiwork” of beavers.

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.   .   .   and the beavers themselves.

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Moose are also fairly easy to spot in late June.

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We were always on the lookout for dragonflies, moths and butterflies. Sometimes they cooperated.

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With flowing water everywhere .   .   .

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The trails could be wet.

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The toads and frogs didn’t seem to mind.

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If no flower, insect reptile amphibian or other creature caught our attention there was always the scenery.

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Thanks for stopping by.