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One of the prettiest walks on Haida Gwaii when the tide is in and the sky is blue is the 2 km. walk along the Yakoun estuary known as the Sunset Trail in Port Clements.  A well maintained, user friendly trail  it offers access to all from small children and strollers to elders and wheel chairs.   In 2000 Port Clements applied for a grant from the Government of Canada’s Millennium  Grant to develop a walking trail and campground along it's west facing coastline. The result is this lovely walk on the edge of wilderness.
[Image]The Yakoun River is the longest river on Haida Gwaii meandering about 60 km(37 miles) from Yakoun Lake in south central Graham Island to Masset Inlet, a large salt water inlet.[Image]The Yakoun estuary is broad and shallow partly due do silt deposits from clear-cut logging. It has a world famous fall salmon run and cut throat trout in the spring.[Image]Bank erosion of the river combined with high water in the spring sweeps large trees and windfalls into the esturary[Image]where some continue life as a "nurse stump" for new life.[Image]The sunset trail is bordered by the inlet on the west and Bayview Road on the east and although only 50 to 75 metres wide feels like a walk in a remote  part of the island.  The.trail runs close to the shore with beautiful vistas of the Queen Charlotte Mountains and Masset Inlet.  On the western flyway for migratory birds it is not usually to see sandhill cranes, trumpeter swans, brandts, and various other waterfowl along with resident great blue herons and eagles as you walk along the waters edge to the wheel chair accessible bird watching tower at the south end of the trail.  Beautifully constructed it is a great spot to watch birds, enjoy the every changing skies or have a picnic under its sheltering roof.
The forest walk is a great sampling of what the forests of Haida Gwaii were like with magnificant old cedars, towering spruce, CMTs (Culturally Modified Trees) and an understory rich in flora which in the past year has seen signs posted along the trail to identify the different species of plants.  For a beautiful, easy walk why not visit Port Clements and the Sunset Trail.




For other great skies from around the world why not join us at SkyWatch Friday.[Image]
Labels:Garbage, Masset Inlet, SkyWatch Friday, Yakoun River



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