I had a road trip planned for today until I stepped onto the deck this morning.  It was calm and warm.  I wondered why I would waste a day like this cooped up in my vehicle.

The alternate plan was to try a new trail at Elk Island National Park.  I decided on the 16km long Wood Bison Trail.  Estimated time to walk the loop is 5 hours.  Now that is the way to spend a beautiful autumn day!

My backpack held enough snacks for the day, extra clothing and some of my camera gear.  I left home at 9:35am and was ready to hit the trail at 10:00am.  It was not as wide or as well worn as the trails that I frequent on the north side of the park.

I just about turned back because I could hear the traffic noise from the Yellowhead Highway.  That was the last thing that I wanted to hear.  I was about 3kms in before I didn't hear the traffic anymore.  Instead, I heard woodpeckers and chickadees.  

I saw a cow moose feeding on some willow branches.  She was camera shy and took off into the trees before I could get a photo.

There was a bluebird sky overhead.  The warm sun shone down so it didn't take long for me to make a pit stop to remove the jacket I was wearing.  At 11:25am, I was at the south end of Flyingshot Lake.  I had hoped to see cranes or swans on the lake but no such luck.  The only waterfowl out there were ducks.

At the half way point, I found a log that served as the perfect bench for me to sit, take in the beauty and have lunch.  There was not a sound and not a soul out there.  It was just me and Mother Nature.

The colors were spectacular.  I was lucky to see a male ruffed grouse in full regalia.  He looked like he meant business but as I approached he flew into the trees to join a female.

The trail took me through a mix of very different landscapes.  I hiked past a lake, marsh areas, open meadows and a ravine filled with colorful larch.  There were a number of downed trees across the trail and a number of wood boardwalks to cross to get over wet areas.

At 3:25pm I arrived back at the parking lot.  I made good time considering that I was carrying a backpack, a camera bag and my tripod and that I had stopped for lunch and for many photo ops.

This was definitely the right way to spend the day.  Fresh air, sunshine, animal sightings, bird calls, the colors of autumn and crunching leaves made for a perfect outing.

Oh yes, and one more thing... NO bugs!

As I sat at the kitchen table this morning, I watched the first rays of the morning sun stream through the tree branches at the back of the yard.  I could hear the chickadees in the tree by the window.  It was then that I decided that it was a good day for a spontaneous trip to Elk Island National Park.  So at 7:30am I threw the camera gear and a backpack into my vehicle and hit the road.

The bison were out along the fence line, grazing on the last blades of green grass.  Ducks and geese were swimming in the little ponds.  There was one thing for sure, there would not be too many people at the park at that hour.

It takes only 10 minutes to get to the park gate.  The sun was a little higher in the sky; illuminating the beautiful autumn colors.  Inside the park, bison grazed along the ditches.  They are so used to the traffic that they didn't bother looking up.

I stopped at each of the ponds along the park way so I could watch the ducks and the geese.  When the window was rolled down, I could hear them calling to each other.  Such beautiful sounds in the morning!

I drove to the Astotin Lake parking lot to see what was happening at the lake.  The sun was warming the air which in turn created a low fog over a grassy meadow.  I watched as the fog moved along the top of the tall grasses.

My hike took place on the Amisk Wuche trail.  The trail itself was covered with a leaf carpet.  The dew from last night made the leaves damp.  I could smell the decaying leaves and the ripe berries on the bushes alongside the trail.

Blue jays squawked in the tree tops.  Robins ducked and dived through the tree limbs.  Ducks swam on the ponds.  The water surface was as smooth as glass.  Photographs could not do the morning scene justice.  You would have to be there in person to take in the beauty and tranquility of the perfect Alberta autumn morning.

As I made my way around the trail, the spider webs shone in the sunlight.  They looked like someone had laser beams across the trail.  It could feel them on

my face as I forged ahead.  The dragon and damsel flies flitted from twig to twig; resting now and again in the warm sunshine.

I stopped at my favorite bench that provides a view of the larger pond.  As I moved to an open area to get a better view of the waterfowl, a couple of them flew up from the reeds; scaring the rest of them into flight.

What usually is a 45 minute hike, took more than 2 hours today.  I wanted to take advantage of the morning.  The sights were colorful, the sounds were tranquil, the smells reminded me that Mother Nature is preparing for a long winter nap.  The outing was perfect.

 

There have been a couple of killing frosts which means that the trees are changing to their brilliant autumn hues.

I had time for a short hike so decided to visit the Cooking Lake - Blackfoot Recreation Area.

The fall colors were more prevalent than they were two weeks ago.  As I sat in a rest shelter and peered across the lake, the scene before me looked like a beautiful painting.  The sky was clear and blue.  The water was calm and the leaves were a variety of reds, greens and yellows.

I could hear the waterfowl on the lake and a flock of cranes overhead.  A bluejay landed on a branch just outside the shelter.  It cocked its head as it watched me through an opening.  I think it intended to swoop in and grab some of my lunch.  Just as I went for my camera, it flew into a higher tree and began squawking at me.  A slight breeze rustled the leaves.  The forest sounds made for a relaxing 15 minute break.

There are fenced grazing areas within the recreation area.  I found one that still had cattle in it.  As I approached, the cows stood up, watched and mooed warnings to their young.

I visited the sandy hill that housed a number of garter snakes earlier in the summer.  A number of holes in the bank were visible but no snakes.  As I hiked from the hill to the parking lot, I hoped to see snakes sunning themselves along the trail.  The only one that I did see was the size of a twig

and living dangerously as it rested in the middle of the path used by cyclists.

I thought I would see more than one snake along the trail.  They are on the move.  When I drove to the park, three of them crossed the road in front of me.  Thirteen didn't make it.  They were hit by vehicles.  This created a feast for the crows and ravens on the pavement.

It appears that the next week will be sunny and warm.  The little blast of snow a week ago was just a winter teaser.  There is still some yard work to be done and windows to be washed but the colors of autumn don't last very long so I'll be taking advantage of the sunny days to hike and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of fall as Mother Nature gets ready for a long nap.