A quarter of the size of Belgium, Algonquin National Park is one of most impressive places I have ever been! In the summer of 2014, I was lucky enough to spend almost three months working in Algonquin National Park. Some of the most special adventures, you just can’t capture with a camera- even with a fast shutter! A couple of these moments included a full sized moose jumping out onto the road in front of our car (it was as terrifying as it sounds!) or setting out for a day trip in the canoe. On one of the day trips, we went and had a picnic on an island in the middle of Joe Lake; it was there that some curious chipmunks approached us, climbed onto our laps and tried to steal all our goldfish (the crackers- not actual fish)! On one of my hiking days, however, I did take a camera- the day I did the Mizzy Lake Trail. I had a day off work and decided to do one of the longer trails around where I was working. At the very start of the trail I came across a couple who concernedly asked me if I was actually prepared to undertake the trail on my own considering the heat and the very real possibility of coming across a bear. (Just the day before, we had seen a baby cub and its mother at the resort where I was working.) I replied saying I did but almost turned back! The trail was so incredibly beautiful!
Going past painted turtle lake, I even had the chance to see some real turtles basking in the sun! Below is a photo of painted turtle lake.
One of my favourite things there, was seeing the monarch butterflies. Over several generations, the butterflies travel up to Canada and the North of the USA from Mexico, often to the same trees as their ancestors before them. Around the end of the summer, the last generation born in Canada and the Northern USA make the full trip back to Mexico. They journey up to 3000km and despite never having been to these places, they somehow know the way!
They have even been bred in the international space station!
Watching the leaves change into their fall colours is a phenomenon that I have never seen in England to the same extent as in Canada.
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