Touch the "soaking mat" of organic soil that reaches deeper
than the height of a house. Over the time, the accumulation
of partially decomposed vegetation in this former streambed
has become
saturated peat. These black spruce trees, with their
spreading "pancake roots" maintain a precarious stability in these spongy soils.
Run your hand over the carpet of feather mosses. In spring, sun-colored marsh marigolds brighten this backdrop. Look for the tall white bog-orchid. Your field guide will help you to identify the other plants amidst horsetails, grasses and sedges.
Leaving the boardwalk, you will again be encircled by the familiar pines. Listen carefully for a faint "tapping" of a foraging downy or hairy woodpecker.
Your next stop will reveal this trail's namesake!