Bear Trap Trail View

Taken 2005 August 17.

I just discovered the Bear Trap (“Trap à Mhathain”) Trail this past year; I knew it was there, but I never took it before, in part discouraged by its description on the CMTC map. I’m very sorry it took me so long; this is a beautiful trail. I think it is misnamed; it should instead be called the Singing Brook Trail, as MacIsaac’s Glen Brook, visible to the left of the trail in this picture, parallels the trail for almost its entire length and sings merrily along as it tumbles down its bed. (It runs into Mill Brook not far from the Mill Brook picture site.) This trail passes through a forest and climbs up to the MacEachen Trail. From the Mabou Post Road Trail Head, it is a gentle, but long, way to climb to Beinn Bhiorach, and I used it that way a number of times this year, completely enchanted with the brook, forest, diffuse sunlight, and relative cool of the trek. This route reduced my panting considerably, but still left me with the sense of accomplishment that going in from the Cape Mabou Trail Head does not because it’s so easy, while not tiring me as much as the other routes to Beinn Bhiorach from the Mabou Post Road Trail Head. It is said to be a sloppy trail when the weather is wet and I can see why that would be, but it was dry each time I travelled it this year. There are no tremendous vistas from this trail, but the forest through which it passes is gorgeous and as one approaches the MacEachen Trail, there are openings in the forest canopy that let one enjoy the sky. I don’t have any idea why it’s named as it is, but I’ve never seen a bear in the Cape Mabou Highlands, though I’m sure that bears live there.

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