You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people, you inform them, and you help them understand that these resources are their own, that they must protect them.
Wangari Maathai
NOVEMBER 10, 2022 — It was one of those picturesque October mornings at the bottom of the trail. As the sun slowly started to peek through the trees, fall colors surrounded us. Royal reds, sunset orange, goldenrod yellows and everything in between. The crisp, cool air that smells of the changing season filled our lungs as we began our journey to one of the most beautiful lookouts in New Brunswick. Our feet met the distinctive crunch of the fallen leaves sounding off our journey.
Ayers Lake Lookout is located just one hour North of Fredericton and is found in York County in New Brunswick. It is a great place to visit in all seasons, but is best during this time of year, when the trees are bright and vibrant. There are a number of hikes that you can do in this area, each one unique (see map and link below).
Nature NB hosted this hike as part of our ongoing stewardship and community science programs. Each year we invite New Brunswickers to join us on hiking trails across the province to learn about these programs. This particular region hosts a provincially protected area called Ayers Lake Stream, which is a part of Nature NB’s ongoing Protected Natural Areas Stewardship Program.
Our trip to Ayers Lake was fun and exciting! We had a great turn out with ages ranging from 5 to 50. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that this year was a major tree seeding year, as maple seeds covered every inch of the forest floor. It was a site to see! Thousands of seedlings were dancing in the sunlight as we continued our walk. We heard chickadees, crows, and ravens, and we saw a bald eagle fly overhead as well as a red-breasted nuthatch!
It was in no time at all that we arrived at the lookout. The view was glorious! All the deciduous trees were in the most vibrant colors as far as the eye could see. From the lookout, you can see Ayers Lake, Woodstock, Maine, and all the mountains in between.
After taking in the view, we soon realized it was time for our group to head back down the mountain to our cars. We took the ATV trail down the mountain which made it easier to navigate and allowed us to see different tree species and topography.
With our water bottles empty and our stomachs starting to grumble, we knew it was a great day spent at Ayers Lake.
If you are interested in events like these or in our community science and stewardship programs, please contact Rae Sharp at rae.sharp@naturenb.ca.
— Rae Sharp, Conservation Coordinator
