Tag: waterfalls

10 Must-Do Summer Activities in Kananaskis: A Guide to Outdoor Adventure

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Kananaskis

Kananaskis is a remote spot full of magnificent mountain ranges providing endless possibilities for hiking, cycling, or practicing water sports. While the area doesn’t have a town like popular destinations such as Banff and Canmore, do, if you are looking for somewhere remote, it’s the ideal place. This secluded area does attract more bears, so be sure to purchase and bring bear spray for any of your adventures. Also, oddly enough, a friend of a friend thought that bear spray worked in an equivalent way to bug spray. Fortunately, these friends discovered that bear spray is used on bears ONLY, and not humans! I genuinely love the Kananaskis area and hope to explore more this summer. Also, try to pick up a map at the visitor center. If you are anything like me and rely on GPS, be forewarned that cellphone service in this area is limited or non-existent. To help maintain the parks, you must pay a fee for the Kananaskis conservation pass, which you can purchase online. This is a fee that is paid per car, not per person.

1. Drive through the Scenic Mountains

Even if you aren’t super athletic, driving through the mountains is enjoyable, and there are plenty of places to stop for photos or enjoy an outdoor meal.

2. Go for a Hike at Barrier Lake

I’ll admit I have yet to do too many hikes in this area, but Barrier Lake is a great spot to stop; if you don’t want to venture up the mountain slope, simply walking around the turquoise water pool is enchanting enough. This is a wide path and a relatively easy hike, so it suits a group. The trek starts with a little to see, but the view of Barrier Lake at the top is epic.

Barrier Lake Trail

Distance: 7.7 km

Difficulty rating: 6

Time: 2 hours

3. Enjoy the Nordic Spa at Kananaskis Mountain Lodge

Who doesn’t love a few hours of self-care? What better place than right in the middle of the mountains! Plan a massage and enjoy the health benefits of hydrotherapy at the Kananaskis Nordic Spa.

4. Catch up with Friends

Is there someone you haven’t seen for awhile? If you can, treat yourself to a stay at this relaxing mountain-encompassed hotel. Book a massage or treatment in their Nordic Spa and submerge yourself in the cold and hot therapy pools, saunas, and steam rooms. Sit by the fire and roast marshmallows at night.

I’ve taken both families and friends to enjoy this hotel and had a blast!

5. Hike Ribbon Falls

This is an easy and peaceful loop.

Ribbon Creek Trail

Distance: 5.6 km

Difficulty rating: 3

Time: 2 hours

6. Lounge at Lower Lake Kananaskis

You pack, eagerly await the long car drive, and finally arrive in the mountains. Full of trail mix and jerky, you spend days charging up mountains like a pro. The next day, you are a little sunburned and a little tired. It’s always lovely to sandwich a recovery day for travel. Sometimes we need to travel for rest. Heading to a lake with a cooler, book, and floatie is equally as enjoyable as burning the rubber of your sturdy hiking boots.

7. Practise Water Sports at Lower Lake Kananaskis

A hot day is best paired with a refreshing plunge into the water. In fact, getting into a body of cold water stimulates dopamine release. As a lover of warm weather, I used to loathe getting into cold water and now find it as stimulating as a shot of espresso.

8. Go Glamping At Sundance Lodges

I loved staying in a canvas tent at the Sundance by Basecamp. They have camping, canvas tent, and teepees with kerosene heaters. It’s what I consider “glamping”. It’s a wonderful place if you want the camping experience but don’t have the gear or energy to acquire it. Their main administration building provides cooking equipment (for a fee) if you need it and showers. 

9. Hike Troll Falls

An easy, quick hike, nice to do after or before a long car ride to stretch the legs. Easy out and back flat trail for any fitness level.

Troll Falls

Time: 1 Hour

Distance: 3.4 KM

Difficulty Rating: 2

10. Hike Mount Yamanuska

This is challenging hike to complete, so if you are full of energy and enjoy a challenge, this may be an ideal venture to try.

Mount Yamnuska

Difficulty: 8

Time: 2 hours

Distance: 9 KM

11. Practise White Water Sports

This post was only supposed to be ten things to do, but this is another unique option to explore. I am not adventurous enough to practice extreme sports, but if you are into white water kayaking or rafting, there’s an opportunity to do so.

Rafting on the Clackamas River by U.S. Forest Service (source) is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

Several companies offer rafting trips in the Kananaskis area:

Canadian Rockies Rafting

Canmore River Adventures

White Wolf Rafting

Summary

Oh, and if all these activities have made you hungry, please check out the Kananaski Dining Guide!

There’s really something for everyone in Kananaskis. I hope this post has inspired you to visit this serene destination, and if you have favorite hikes in the area, I’d love to hear about them! And if you are looking for more places with fun mountain adventures, check out my post on Waterton, Alberta.

The Best Vancouver Island Road Trip!

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Wild Pacific Trail

After two canceled trips to Mexico, I racked my brain for places to recharge that would be adventurous and relaxing for a family vacation with my parents. However, horror stories of stranded travelers and increased costs prompted me to consider a local trip instead. Having driven to Vancouver Island from Edmonton, I knew the distance and rise in gas prices couldn’t compete with Flair’s $100 flight to the island.

While Victoria, British Columbia’s capital city, is most often sought out with direct flights or ferries and shuttles. However, I decided to take advantage of the lesser-known Comox, which offered a cheaper & less busy flight and a rental car; book one in advance; the checkout counter had a sign that said they were sold out! I spent a few days exploring Qualicum Beach, Parksville, Nanoose Bay, Coombs, Ucluelet, and Tofino. It sounds like many destinations, but these are quieter, smaller towns with most people found content on a beach with a picnic.

Qualicum Beach

Qualicum Beach

We chose the longer ocean route to get to our hotel and stopped to have lunch on the beach. My mother packed us an entire lunch of sandwiches and fruit, which I swore we would have to throw away at security, but we were able to keep to our luck! This town has a Saturday market to check out if you fly on this day, but we were eager to check in to our resort and enjoy a drink in the sun.

Qualicum Beach

Parksville

Rathtrevor Provincial Park

We stopped at a grocery store to pick up more snacks, smoked salmon, cheeses, and fruit. We then headed to Rathtrevor Provincial Park, a lovely park with a nice beach full of kites and picnic tables. We came here once for a walk and then the following day for a 5km run through the park before heading for lunch.

Rathtrevor Beach

Nanoose Bay

View from the Pacific Shores Resort

We stayed at the Pacific Shores Resort, which was great. It has an indoor pool, hot tub, and sauna, which we enjoyed each night. My dad and I also borrowed ping pong paddles and played a few games to give my mother a break from us for an hour! There were the most beautiful sunsets in the evenings, and with outdoor propane firepits, it was a charming way to end the evening. Several families brought smore kits and roasted marshmallows with their kids. We snacked on the meat, cheese, and beer we bought in Parksville.

Sunset at the Pacific Shore Resort
Notch Hill Loop

Activities:

  • Rathover Park- 5km loop to run or walk
  • Nanoose Loop – 2.9Km loop that we choose to run, nice gravel trail.
  • Notch Hill Loop Trail- 5 km loop with a view of the bay and a swing!

Coombs

Coombs

A quick stop, most people come to see the goats that walk on the roof of the building; however, there is much more to discover at this stop. This pit stop was the liveliest place we found on our trip. We enjoyed a fabulous lunch at an Italian restaurant, Cuckoo. I bought some fresh doughnuts from Billy G’s doughnut shop and more snacks from the market, which was quite ample. There, were picked up heart-shaped truffle cheese, the tastiest sausages, and an apple galette. I would also recommend the cheese bread and pies if we had time and more real estate in our stomachs!

Cuckoo Restaurant
Coombs

Ucluelet

Wild Pacific Trail

We stayed at the Blackrock Resort. It is a picturesque place on the ocean, with an outdoor hot tub, and is steps away from the West Pacific trail. There is also a beach where some people had made fires and cozily eaten near- something to plan for the next time we go! We opted for a room with a kitchenette to cook breakfast in (eating out every day isn’t ideal for us); the room had high ceilings, a nice balcony to sit out and listen to the ocean on, and a large soaker tub. It is also dog friendly if you planning to bring a furry family member.

Wild Pacific Trail

Tofino

Long Beach

We went to Tofino to do a bear tour via boat. Unfortunately, the covered boat was not available, so we ended up with these bright red spacesuit-looking overalls in an open boat. We have several bears in Alberta, so the sightings weren’t too eventful. But my mother wearing the red get-up was priceless. If I went again, I would do a seaplane tour, as it would be cool to see the beaches from that unique vantage point. We stopped at Shelter for lunch, which had a lovely, heated patio with a fireplace and a great view.

Tofino Eats

The catch of the day, cooked over an open fire at the Zedd hotel was our best meal of the trip!

At the Zedd Hotel & Shelter

Activities:

  • Atelo– recommended by our guide for seaplane tours
  • Ocean Outfitters– who we chose for a Bear Tour
  • Long Beach- nice walk, lots of surfers
  • Chesterman Beach-Nice beach for walking and watching surfers
  • Wild Pacific Trail
Chasing Waterfalls
Qualicum Falls

Road Trip Pit Stops

To break up our drive, we visited Cathedral Grove and Qualicum Falls, and they were the perfect easy hiking spots! Hope you enjoyed this post and are inspired to take your own trip to the majestic Vancouver Island!

The Route:

  • Comox via Flair – pick up Enterprise rental car
  • Stop at Qualicum beach for lunch
  • Stay: 3 nights in Nanoose Bay at the Pacific Shores Resort
  • Stay: 3 nights in Ucluelet at the Black Rock Resort
  • Stay: 1 night in Courtney- Bayview Hotel– close drive back to the airport