As the saying goes, do as I say, not as I do.
This past summer, my husband and I went on our first camping trip to Big Whiteshell Lake Provincial Park in Manitoba. It was everything magical. During the afternoon we decided to hike Big Whiteshell Trail which was just across the highway. You know, we can't all be winners on every single trip, but that doesn't mean you can't still enjoy yourself.
We are so grateful that we have a space in our home where we keep all of our outdoor adventure gear. It's quite organized, but that doesn't mean the case is the same for the closets in the rest of our house. We packed all of the hiking gear that we knew we would prospectively need for our camping trip, but I forgot one key component; comfortable shoes. I guess my pair of converse would have to do... and they did.
The Specs
Big Whiteshell Hiking Trail is a 1.3km one direction loop that spans up to 42 meters in elevation. The trail can take as little as 15 minutes or up to one hour, depending on our agenda!
Trails, Tails and Terrain
We're always excited to take Hazel on new trails with us as she's quite the explorer herself. We always check the map to ensure it's a trek that Hazel can handle. Taking into consideration distance, elevation, and weather; especially temperature. We would really like to get her a pair of dog hiking shoes, to protect the pads of her feet. In all honesty, she tackled the winding elevation better than us.
We were impressed with the self guiding navigation and trail markers. This trail offered the right variety of open landscape combined with tighter, cozier ambiance. It gave us open hot desert meets rainforest vibes.
Fun Features
Along the way, we were kept busy with the varying features on the trail. What may be an inconvenience for most, downed trees are part of nature and do make for unique touchpoint when capturing photos. Although we didn't see any wildlife, we did find pretty plants and flowers, you just need to remember to look down! There are also a few different spots along the trail that offer beautiful vantage points.
Stop & Stay Awhile
The second vantage point we came across had the best view and we knew this is where we wanted to stop and stay awhile. The first vantage point had a gorgeous view over the forest, but this one had a view of the lake; and boy were we hot from the heat. Sitting down for a nice lunch, catching a small bit of shade and staring at the cool lake in the distance was just what we needed. I needed the break from hiking and as you can see in the photo, so did my feet; given my poor shoe choice. Hiking with no arch or ankle support, I'm very lucky I did not injure myself. Note to all: it pays to wear proper hiking footwear. Do as I say, not as I do!
Lunch With a View
Anyone knows me, I'm all about eating food with a view. Two of my favourite things, together. We brought our beloved Jetboil and served ourselves up a delicious bit of pad thai. Hazel too enjoyed her snack and water refreshment along with a quick trail side snooze in the shade. Our pad thai was a dehydrated meal that was enough for both of us to share.
Hazel had fun, we had fun. We enjoyed a pleasant munch of blueberries as a surprise snack along the trail and you can see that I have one of my trusty Buff's with me. I have quite a few and truly appreciate the versatility of them. From hair scrunchies to headbands to keep forehead sweat at bay.
All in all, we really enjoyed hiking this trail on a hot sunny summer afternoon. However, we'd love to try it again in autumn when colours are in full swing, and when I... have better footwear. This trail may be bit sized, but it sure was beautiful.