McQueen Nature Hike
On the first day of June, I hiked on the McQueen Lake Trails, enjoying a nature hike, making many stops along the way to observe and photograph what interested me. The McQueen Lake Environmental Education Center is School District Property and the expectation is to not access the property when children are on the site. Weekends, Breaks, and off-season are good choices and we should steer clear of the overnight center, staying on forested trails on the south and east side of the property, accessed through the Lac du Bois Conservation Area and Lac du Bois Provincial Park. There are also grazing rights nearby so we need to close gates and steer clear of cattle. All access should be on foot, going quietly, leaving no trace.
Shared here are some photos from the nature hike – heart-leaved arnica (Arnica cordifolia), harsh paintbrush (Castilleja hispida), upland larkspur (Delphinium nuttallianum), chocolate lily (Fritillaria lanceolata sp.), small-flowered woodland star (Lithophragma parviflorium), shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), a mourning cloak butterfly (Nymphalis antiopa), jewel beetles (Anthaxia sp.), and sticky geranium (Geranium viscosissimum).
Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption/ID.
Also shared here are Canada violet (Viola canadensis), mouse-eared chickweed (Cerastium sp.), small-flowered penstemon (Penstemon procerus), star-flowered false solomon’s seal (Smilacina stellata), a pelt lichen (Peltigera sp.), wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana), fairyslipper (Calypso bulbosa), Oregon grape (Mahonia aquiflorium sp.), rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera oblongifolia), and sarsparilla (Auralia nudicaulis).
