Bat Lake Trail is located in Algonquin Park, Ontario at kilometre 30 along Highway 60.

Bat Lake Trail is a 5 kilometre loop that takes you up approximately 60 metres from the entry point to a lookout and through a variety of forests. During this hike you will see a gorgeous hemlock stand, beautiful views from a lookout and you’ll experience the acidic Bat Lake. Don’t forget to check out the plants and mushrooms along this trail.

After passing through the impressive stands of Eastern Hemlock you will come to the lookout. The views are spectacular and you can witness the variety of forest types and varying elevations found throughout the park.

Keep a watchful eye on the forest floor below and you may find some of these intriguing specimens. The Indian Pipe, otherwise known as the Ghost Plant or Corpse Plant, is a native plant that thrives in dark places, like the forest floor. It may appear to be a fungus but it is actually a flowering plant that doesn’t contain any chorophyll, which is why is it white and not green. It is parasitic in native and it actually gets its energy from trees.

This tree took advantage of a rotting stump and it sprouted from above the ground and therefore had to develop stilt or prop roots to reach the ‘substrate’ or ground. Eventually the original tree will completely decompose and the new tree will appear to be standing above the ground. In this example you can still see the rotting stump the tree grew up from.

Ferns loves Algonquin forests. Check out other posts from Algonquin and see how many different types of ferns we have photographed. This fern is a twice divided fern, but without a picture of the whole plant or the underside of the leaves, I can only guess that it may be a Cinnamon Fern?

These common Ontario mushrooms are affectionately called “Turkey Tails” because they resemble the multiple colours found in a turkey’s tail feathers. You will find them on dead hardwood logs and stumps throughout the forest.

Oyster Mushrooms, or Oyster Caps, are also very common in Algonquin Park. These mushrooms thrive anywhere the conditions are right but you will often find them on dead Sugar Maples or aspens. They are edible and can be found in some grocery stores.

This appears to be an American Dagger Moth caterpillar. I used the black lashes and its colour to identify it. You can just make out its black, shiny head. Never pick up a caterpillar, especially ones with long hairs or spines because they can cause skin irritation.

Sources:

Bartlett, Troy; et al. (16 February 2004). “Species Acronicta americana – American Dagger Moth”. Bugguide.net. Retrieved 12 August 2010.

Thorn, Richard Gregory. Mushrooms of Algonquin Provincial Park, 2006. Whitney, Ont.: Published by the Friends of Algonquin Park in Cooperation with Ontario Parks, 2006. Print.