One of the best

The Dunk River is in central Prince Edward Island about a thirty minute drive from home. We have walked the Dunk River Trail in early spring but never when nature was in her finery. We were in for a treat.

On first glimpse from the entrance, the river bends and disappears into the trees.

The roadside embankment is covered with lupins and rockets now as the late spring bloom has rolled into summer. 

The trail entrance is a hole in the trees which looks like an invitation to another dimension, and really, it is.

Inside the entrance, an open area is cool compared to the heat outside.

The first of numerous bird boxes greets visitors and the trail beyond is lined with rockets, the wildflowers du jour. 

Canadian Tiger Swallowtail butterflies flit among the blossoms and are difficult to photograph before they disappear among the vegetation. This is the best photograph I could manage of one earlier last week on the salt marsh in Summerside.

All along the trail, the sounds are enchanting. The constancy of the flowing water and the intermittent bird sounds are like nature’s orchestra with a masterful conductor leading the way. You can experience it here.

Meanwhile the sounds accompany vignettes like these:

where water and vegetation capture the eye and hold it hostage. One lingers a while at these scenes.

Maples saplings grow on the forest floor while overhead, the distinctive leaf shape provides a screen in front of us. Autumn will be glorious here.

We turned around near lunch time, leaving the completion of the trail for another day. On the way back, we saw a tree filled with mushrooms that resembled pimples on the trunk. 

Another trunk had woodpecker holes, some made by Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers.

Five female Mallards fed in the river as we walked by.

The river valley didn’t get as much damage from post tropical storm Fiona as other areas of the island, and while there are some signs of damage, 

the area has been cleaned up and provides an escape from the world.

Anyone who enjoys nature will love this trail. 

Be sure to bring insect repellent with you though. We did and the pesky creatures were still an annoyance in places, but manageable. It is not a difficult trail but watch for the roots which sometimes break ground.

This world along the Dunk River is one of the most beautiful trails on the island and is well worth your time.