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"The Loop" is Birch Brook's most popular walking route and includes the greatest variety of features. Allow at least an hour for this walk so there's time for exploring. From Rabbit Run, turn onto McLean Lake Trail. The land is boggy as the route crosses Games Trail and asters and bog plants such as Marshberry, Bakeapple, and Labrador Tea are typical. McLean Lake Trail then rises quickly past damp spruce forest into "The Birches", the crown jewel of our entire trail system. A shady path is well worn by travelers seeking solitude in the shadows of a century-old White Birch grove. Understory plants are numerous and similar to those encountered on Scott's Run. |
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Continue up McLean's Lake Trail... "The Bear Tree", towering above the crowns of other trees, is the largest Trembling Aspen in this area and at well over one hundred years, it's probably one of the oldest too. Notice the distinct bear claw marks extending ten meters up the trunk. Problem: Did a small bear climb a young tree many years ago, or did a very large bear climb a mature tree much more recently? Hmm. The Bear Tree barely escaped the extensive fire of 1985 that burned 40,000 hectares of land, including most of McLean's Lake Trail from here to the lake.
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McLean's Lake Trail continues through the burnover, an area now actively undergoing secondary succession. Paths branching from the main trail lead to high rock outcrops, interesting geology, and panoramic views of the entire region. Climb Lookout Rock, Lenny's Lookout, and Melville Lookout. |
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Take the next right turn off McLean Lake Trail just beyond Lenny's Lookout. Not far from the path to Melville Lookout, the burnover trail leads again into a birch paradise and loops back down to rejoin the lower part of McLean's Lake Trail. Through the foliage on the left side of Birches Tun can be viewed a sheer cliff face and rectangular chunks of fallen rock upon which evergreen rock ferns (Polypodium virginianum) grow in the only site recorded at Birch Brook. The extensive, unusual rock feature appears to be a fault zone but we'll leave details to the experts (Attention! We need a geologist here.). A narrow walking trail has been cleared along the base of the rocks. |
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