Appalachian Mountain Experiences: A hike to one of the beautiful bays in Bic National Park

Thursday, July 12, 2018

A hike to one of the beautiful bays in Bic National Park

On a cool sunny morning we were back at Parc National Du Bic for a short hike to the beautiful bay known as Anse a Mouille-Cul (French is the language of choice here in Quebec Province). From the main visitor center, we took the Le-Chemin-du-Nord and the Cap a l' Original trails, two easy flat trails through a spruce-fir forest. Along the trail, some patches of forest had very dense balsam fir with deep shade and few plants growing in the understory. Other places had a more open forest canopy with more light and plants growing on the forest floor. Among the forest plants encountered were a number of species that occur at high elevations in the southern Appalachians, including mountain wood sorrel (Oxalis montana) and green false hellebore (Veratrum viride). We also saw a number of plants that are restricted to more northerly latitudes, such as twinflower (Linnaea borealis) and bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), two of my favorite plants at high latitudes. Where the trail ends, along the Anse a Mouille-Cul (bay), are a series of rock outcrops sandwiched between the forest and the Saint Lawrence River. Here, we saw some nice flowering clumps of three tooth cinquefoil (Sibbaldiopsis tridentata), a plant we know from high elevations outcrops in the southern Appalachians, as well as Gieseck's bellflower (Campanula gieseckeana), new to us with numerous striking bell-shaped blue flowers. We also enjoyed the spectacular views of the water in the bay and the peaceful setting. Two kayakers decked out in wet suits and resting on the shore were the only people to be seen in the early morning.