This was a big one for us. The Tonquin Valley hike is one of the big two hikes in Jasper (the other being The Skyline Trail). I have very mixed feelings on this hike, there were some areas of amazing beauty along this trail but there was also some very wet trails and a monotonous trudge back to the car, which may have been our own fault.
Read MoreBig bend is a swell hike in Jasper. You could do this as a day trip or a short overnight stay. The trail starts at Sunwapta Falls which was nice for those of us that enjoy waterfalls. Since the waterfalls are a main tourist draw the parking can be iffy, so I would get there early if you can. There is an option to continue further down the trail but I do not think you can get all the way to Fortress lake anymore as the bridge was washed away. The hike to Big Bend Campground is a very easy trail and would be well suited to basically all skill levels. This trail would be a great introductory backpacking trail for kids or first timers.
Read MoreWe kinda messed up this one, but I think it all worked out quite nicely. This hike is in Jasper National Park close to the Miette road in a little roadside pullout. From the small parking area there is a more popular path going right up to Roche Miette, along a fire road, for the popular scramble at the end. We took the other path, with the intention of going into the canyon. Both trails meet up if you want to make a little loop out of it. We intended to do a loop but conditions did not allow it, but I will get into later.
Read MoreThis one is a must do in Canmore if you are in the area. I think everyone should do this hike at least once, but be warned you will never be alone along the trail. The latest time we did this hike was on a snowy November day. I cannot recommend doing it at this time more, I believe that we experienced the best possible conditions for the trail as shown in the video.
Read MoreThe Allstones Lake Trail is a fairly popular (for the area) trail along the David Thompson Highway near Nordegg. It was an 8.8km hike for us with 654m of elevation gain.
Read MoreColiseum Mountain was our big hike on May long weekend this year. It starts right across the highway from the town of Nordegg in the Shunda subdivision. The trail involves numerous switchbacks through the forest before breaking through the trees to enjoy the views. But hang in there, because the views are great!
Read MoreThe Whitegoat Falls hike was fraught with controversy from the very beginning, but ended up being my favourite outing of our May long weekend. Sarah’s mom her and friends had done this hike last year and ended up horribly lost, and may not have even seen the falls, so we were hesitant even before we started.
Read MoreFirst off, let me say that Maligne Canyon is gorgeous, and if you have not been there do not let my opinions stop you from checking it out. Now that being said, you have to go in the winter! Maligne Canyon is a sight in the summer but a spectacle in the winter.
Read MoreThe Sunwapta Falls are a very popular stop along the Icefields Parkway. The upper falls are a huge draw for people, and why not, they are gorgeous. However, after driving about an hour from Jasper townsite, it is worth it to do the easy hike down to the lower falls as well.
Read MoreI list this hike as moderate because there is a moderate climb, but this has to be one of the easiest mountain view hikes around.
Read MoreThe Egypt Lake Trail starts from the Sunshine Village parking lot in Banff National Park. You would definitely want to do it as a multiday hike so you can do some of the day trips that begin at the Egypt Lake campground.
Read MoreThis blog post was going to have a very different name, photos, and level of epicness but weather conditions and a healthy dose of fear changed our plans a weeee bit.
Read MoreThe Flag Hill hike is very short, but you should think about doing it if you have twenty minutes or so to spare while in David Thompson Country. The hardest part of the hike is finding the start. But when you do find the trail and complete the hike you get nice views for the minimal effort you spent.
Read MoreI had mixed feelings about this hike just after completing it, but it has been growing on me since then. The basic summary of this hike is: go right up the side of the mountain, steadily getting steeper, until you’re scrambling up to the viewpoint. Before setting off I really recommend purchasing a trail guide to help you find the start, as there is no cell service in the area.
Read MoreI really enjoyed this hike. You encounter a little bit of everything before reaching a viewpoint for the falls. The trail is very well marked and begins in a decently sized parking lot. From Highway 11, just past the Two O'clock Creek Campground on your way to Banff, there are signs for Kootenay Plains on the highway where you should turn for the hike. The parking lot has a sign saying Siffleur Staging Area to confirm that you are in the right spot.
Read MoreLong ago the First Nations people of the area carved what looks like bison ribs into these boulders. They believed that by carving these boulders they would pay homage to “Old Man Buffalo” and gain luck when hunting. To this day there are still gifts like tobacco and feathers left as offerings.
Read MoreIf you are in the Provost area, you should do yourself a service and visit Bodo. I learned so much while visiting the Bodo Archeological Society! The staff’s passion for archeology really shines through. Our tour was informative, fun, and honestly made me realize how cool archeology is!
Read MoreOverall I would recommend Gooseberry Lake PP as a place with a different kind of landscape compared to most of the places we usually go. Although, I don't think you could go there every weekend or anything and keep yourself busy. You could go there once or twice to experience the rolling plains but there is not enough to do in the area to make it a regular stop.
Read MoreWe didn’t go on a very long walk as you can tell, since the sun was setting, but it was nice to get outside and check out the area. I was really impressed by the food forest and glad to see it doing well! I would definitely recommend all Edmontonians get out and visit the MacKinnon Ravine—there’s a lot of exploring to do here and we just scratched the surface on this walk!
Read MoreThe Kinnaird Highlands trail has become my favourite trail in Edmonton to date. There is a nice mix of nature and cityscapes that keep you entertained on a leisurely stroll by the river. This trail doubles as an off leash area for dogs which Henry, my golden, loves. Sarah was not present for this walk but we did have my dad, Henry, and Penelope (the black dog).
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