R: FOUR American Black Bears!
Today we explored the West side of the Highlands National Park!
In so doing, we saw why everyone says the Cabot Trail is the place to be. Those HIGHLANDS. GAWD. Breathtaking is incredibly insufficient to describe those fall color trees in every possible elevation and distance from you. I get it now. CABOT TRAIL. Just AMAZEBALLS.
We did a short and easy loop called Le Buttereau on AllTrails. And it was quiet, but there were some nice view spots of the Atlantic Ocean below us. And some newtome plants, like the Chokeberry (which had berries!). But we had an extra special close encounter…
We were nearing the end of the loop when Brian said, “Grouse!”
And sure enough, there was A GROUSE!!
It was on the ground and slowly walking parallel to us. Nibbling away at this and that. And GET THIS. We were walking slowly and quietly on the trail alongside it. And it eventually came a bit closer to us. Didn’t seem to mind us one bit so close to it.
Then it allofasudden flew up onto a shrub and in OPEN VIEW. Like it was even posing for us??
A group of older folks came up the trail and stopped to watch it, too.
Turns out it was newtome Ruffed Grouse! So dang pretty. Can’t believe what great looks we got. Absolutely awesome.
We ended our short Naturing time and kept on to enjoy the “Look Offs” (Vista Points) along the Cabot Trail.
We stopped at one, just past the Veterans Monument Look Off (which is a MUST STOP, by the by). We were previously told by the guy at the Visitor Centre that a FAMILY OF BEARS was hanging out eating flippin’ blueberries and was easily seen at the no name Look Off.
And INDEED, THEY WERE!!!
A mama American Black Bear and THREE CUBS. Just casually grazing on a hillside so crazy high up!
We watched them for a while. Shared our superior binocs with a handful of folks. And I got crap photos.
But, FOUR BEARS!!!!!
Now, I’ve only seen a bear once before. It was insanely far away. In Utah. It looked like a black dot it was that far away. It kinda doesn’t count.
So, THIS was EPIC.
After we got our bear fix, we continued on to enjoy our lunch at French Lake. Where a Bald Eagle was hanging out in the distance.
And further on, at the MacKenzie Mountain Look Off – Whales, we saw another Bald Eagle soaring above us and what I think were Northern Gannets diving wayyy off in the distance. Too far away for any IDable photos. But the VC showed them as being in the area. So that’s my guess!
All in all, the Cabot Trail and Highlands are all they say it is. And I can’t wait to see the other side on Saturday!
