Trip North - Cabot Trail - Sunday Skyline Trail

We get breakfast when they open at 7 am

and back track 20 minutes to the Skyline Trail

 We arrive and there are only 3 cars in the lot

 We start out on a wide dirt trail

 and we get to the official trailhead

It takes us through alpine woods.  It is a 4 mile in and back trail or 5.1 miles if you do the loop.

 There is a clearing ahead

 and a large fenced in area.  This fence was installed in 2007 as part of a 10 year study to monitor forest regrowth in the absence of Moose.  In the 1970's a massive budworm outbreak destroyed most of the Balsam Fir trees and Birch grew in their place.  Their favorite food, the Moose thrived, eating the young trees and halting the growth of the Forest.

 This whole section is now Moose Free and we have to 

pass through a gate to continue on the trail.

An observation tower

 Another gate

 eventually we arrive at a boardwalk

 Gary spotted a Moose print

 A little sitting area

with some big views

 We finally make it to the end where there is supposed to be a boardwalk over the water with spectacular views

 We start down it

 and take in the views

The boardwalk continues

 I follow it while Gary gets comfy on the bench

 It just keeps on going down. 

 and down

 and down

and down

 and down

 until you finally reach the bottom.  I can't believe I have the place to myself.

 a good view of the Cabot Trail

What goes down goes up again

 Every few steps there is a brass plaque on the edge.  35of the steps make up the entire verse of the Peace and Friendship Treat of 1752 between the Indians and the British Crows.

We head back to the parking lot and I encounter this chatty little squirrel

 This great windswept tree

 and the sun lighting up the golden ferns

 We have been looking for moose along the way and I look into the woods and see a solid blotch of brown that doesn't match anything else.  I zoomed in but it was behind a thick bunch of trees.

 Taking in one last view

 and back to the parking lot which is now full

 As we drive back down the Cabot Trail I spot hikers up top on the Skyline

 I followed the ridge down and was able to zoom in on the lower platform

All good things come to an end. 

We head back to Herring Cove.