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THE BRANDON SUN • LAKE LIFE • SATURDAY, MAY 27, 2023
» Continued from Page 14 BEST TRAILS FOR BEGINNERS/FAMILIES • Ominnik Marsh — Easy, 0.5 km, Loop “It’s a very popular one primarily because it is locat- ed in the townsite and it’s ac- cessible by all family mem- bers,” Hartlen said. “It has a floating boardwalk, and a lot of kids like to do the critter dipping activities.” • Lake Shore — Main Beach to Deep Bay Trail: Easy, 3.6 km This gravel-surfaced trail is a perfect fit for a morning run, or leisurely walks with relatives. BEST INSTAGRAM SPOT • Bald Hill — Difficult This difficult trail has a reputation of providing one of the best views in RMNP. It’s an investment in time and energy, so be sure to prepare accordingly. It’s a challenging 11km return trip to the Bald Hill viewpoint and back. “They are longer trails, they are up and down the es- carpment so they definitely are not for the novice hiker,” Hartlen said. HIDDEN GEM • Oak Ridge Trail — 3.1 km or 6.5 km, Loop Gustafson said this trail has some amazing view- points and it is actually not that difficult. While it is a blue square rating, it is due to the fact it is out of town and a bit of a distance away. “It’s kind of a mini version of the escarpment network and just sort of an introduc- tion,” Gustafson said. “So if you have people that want
to start, do the Oak Ridge Trail, see how they do on that trail and then they can graduate up to more of the escarpment network.”
Kinosao (Moderate, 1.9 km, One-way). “Moon Lake has a cou- ple of red chairs midway through the trail that have a great view of the lake and is a nice spot to take a snack break,” she said. “Kinosao trail leads to Kinosao Lake and has a canoe that’s avail- able for visitor use. Kinosao shares its trailhead with the Grey Owl and Brûlé trails; for an extra long hike you can hike to Grey Owl’s Cabin and then jump onto the Kinosao trail at the junction.” Evans said hiking is one of her favourite pastimes. “The fresh air and the peacefulness that comes with getting out of the city and spending some time in nature. It’s relaxing and al- lows me to shut off my mind for a few hours.”
pling of wildlife and vegeta- tion which can add up espe- cially in more popular areas. • Dress for the weather. Be prepared for changing tem- peratures throughout the day. Look at local weather forecasts and if a storm ap- proaches, then turn back. • Be respectful of the envi- ronment around you. • Pack the essentials you need. Make sure you stay hy- drated and keep energy lev- els high with the right foods. • Make sure you tell some- one where you’re going as cell service is not always re- liable. • Go at a consistent pace and be sure not to over-ex- ert yourself — listen to your body. • Be bear aware. Make noise so you don’t startle a bear. Clapping, singing, talking loudly or using a bear bell especially when near streams, dense vegeta- tion and berry patches, on windy days, and in areas of low visibility. Watch for fresh bear signs like tracks and droppings. Leave the area if the signs are fresh. • Larger size groups are less likely to have a serious bear encounter. We recom- mend hiking in a tight group of two to three people. • Keep dogs on leashes at all times. Dogs can pro- voke defensive behaviour in bears. Visit the Adventure Smart website adventuresmart.ca/ hiking for great information on what to pack, safety vid- eos, how to use a compass, trip plan, and more. Trail map: https://bit.ly/42N0DRt Trail conditions: https://bit.ly/44M6tnQ Tips provided by Gustafson and Hartlen. » Twitter: @jillianaustin » jillianaustin.news@gmail. com » Jillian Austin is a freelance writer, as well as a real estate agent with Century 21 West- man Realty.
BEST TRAINING TRAILS • Brûlé Trail — Easy, 2.2 km or 4.1 km, Loop A short drive from Wasag- aming, the trail is shaped like a figure-8, forming a short loop and a long loop. Journeying on the long loop, see aging trees and a variety of flowers before arriving at Lake Kinosao. “It’s a relatively flat trail but it just kind of gets you building up to that dis- tance,” Hartlen said. • Arrowhead Trail — Mod- erate, 3.4 km, Loop Whether you plan to visit the rolling terrain of Arrow- head trail during a bright summer’s day, or on snow- shoes in the middle of win- ter, the trail is ideal in any season. Hartlen said Arrowhead helps prepare hikers for go- ing up and down hills on the more difficult trails. FOR THE EXPERIENCED HIKER • GORGE CREEK — Diffi- cult, 6.4 km “It’s one of our most pop- ular, beautiful trails just because it has some major elevation change through- out,” Gustafson said. “It goes through boreal [forest], de- ciduous and then you get to the bottom of the escarp- ment.” Kayla Evans has been hik- ing for several years and says her two favourites trails at RMNP are Moon Lake (Dif- ficult, 9.5 km, Loop) and
TIPS TO STAY SAFE ON THE TRAILS
• Check the website before heading out for updates on trail conditions. Check in at the park for updates and make sure there is no bear activity or fallen trees. • Know your limitations. Start small and work your way up to the more chal- lenging hikes. • Recognize limitations of others in your group. Not ev- eryone is at the same speed or endurance level. • Stick to the hiking trail — Coming away from the path causes unnecessary tram-
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