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Hiking

Things To Do in Jasper in 2021

By Matthew G. Bailey Leave a Comment

best things to do in alberta
An aerial view of Jasper National Park reveals the beautiful fall colours.

Last updated: November 8th, 2020

Located a little further off the “beaten track”, Jasper is like a smaller, more local Banff. Nestled at the north end of the Icefields Parkway in Jasper National Park, Jasper is surrounded by vast valleys, towering mountain peaks, and hordes of wildlife. If you’re looking for a quieter version of Banff, this is it.

Just like Banff, Jasper is an epic destination for outdoor enthusiasts. You’ll find Alberta’s tallest mountain, stunning Maligne Lake and Instagram-famous Spirit Island, the world’s second-largest dark sky preserve, more than 1,200 kilometres of hiking trails, and the incredible Jasper SkyTram. There’s also a variety of delicious restaurants, accommodation, and souvenir shops – everything a traveller could possibly want.

In this guide, we’ll describe all the things to do in Jasper so that you can plan the best trip ever. [Read more…] about Things To Do in Jasper in 2021

Exploring Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan

By Matthew G. Bailey 5 Comments

badlands camping in Grasslands National Park

Having travelled across all of Canada, we’ve seen a lot of impressive national parks. From hiking mountains in Banff National Park to walking on the Earth’s mantle in Gros Morne National Park, there are so many incredible things to do in Canada from coast to coast to coast.

When I first looked into Grasslands National Park, I wasn’t sure what to think. For one, there are basically no trees and it’s small and relatively flat. It doesn’t have mountains or oceans or waterfalls. However, it’s the only national park dedicated to preserving prairie grasslands, is home to wildlife that can’t be found anywhere else in the country, and is the darkest Dark Sky Preserve in Canada. It’s also somewhat “off the beaten track”, which makes it very quiet compared to world-famous parks like Banff and Jasper.

So, we decided to include it in our 150-day Canada road trip back in 2017 and I’m so happy we did. Grasslands National Park is incredibly beautiful and has quickly become one of our favourite places to visit in Canada. in fact, we loved it so much that we went back in 2019, taking much more time to explore both the West Block and the East Block, which we’ll get into below. If you’re looking for beautiful wild-west-looking scenery, camping, and the chance to be in nature without all the crowds, make sure you add Grasslands National Park to your Canadian bucket list.

Let’s get into it… [Read more…] about Exploring Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan

Newfoundland Travel – The Viking Trail

By Matthew G. Bailey 6 Comments

l'anse aux meadows

Snaking its way along the Northern peninsula coast, the Viking Trail is one of Canada’s best road trips. At 489 km, the journey can be done in as little as five hours. However, to truly appreciate what the route had to offer, you’ll want to spend as much time as you can. With so many scenic communities, coastline, historical sites, and majestic Gros Morne National Park, one could spend an entire month here and not get bored. Whether you love nature, culture, wildlife, or simply a scenic drive, the Viking Trail is one for the bucket list. [Read more…] about Newfoundland Travel – The Viking Trail

Lake Superior Circle Tour in Canada

By Kristal 4 Comments

lake superior circle tour

Over the years, my dogs and I have driven all over Canada and the United States, visited both oceans, and several mountain ranges.  In spite of all the amazing places we have been privileged to explore, my favourite part of Canada is still the Trans-Canada Highway, or Highway 17, between Sault Ste. Marie (affectionately called “the Soo”) and Thunder Bay (or T-Bay).

With so many things to do and places to see around massive Lake Superior, the best way to see it all is to do the Lake Superior Circle Tour, which takes place in both Canada and the USA and makes for a wonderful Lake Superior vacation. However, for this article, we’re going to focus on the Canada-side of the tour. Maybe we can call it the Lake Superior Half Circle Tour?

Let’s begin. [Read more…] about Lake Superior Circle Tour in Canada

Hiking Newfoundland – Five Great Hiking Trails

By Leigh McAdam Leave a Comment

Hiking in Canada is a very popular thing to do and Newfoundland is blessed with an abundance of excellent hiking trails, usually with a backdrop of rugged, world-class scenery. But there’s a downside – though only if you’re short on time. Many of the trails are some distance from each other. From my experience, the best hiking is along the East Coast Trail – not far from the capital of St. John’s and in Gros Morne National Park. There are a couple of other hiking trails in newfoundland you could access if you’re planning a drive across the province.

These five Newfoundland hikes are some of the best in the province…

best hikes in newfoundland sugarloaf path

Sugarloaf Path

The Sugarloaf Path is but one section of the 265-kilometre East Coast Trail Newfoundland. It’s one of the prettiest sections of the trail that can be done as a one-way day trip from St. John’s. I recommend either a shuttle should you have two cars or a 15-minute taxi ride to the Logy Bay trailhead at the Ocean Science’s Centre.

The East Coast Trail Association rates this hike as a difficult one, largely because the elevation gain is more than 150 metres. In my books, coming from the Rockies I’d give it a moderate rating. Allow four to five hours, more if you’re an avid photographer.

From the trailhead, it’s 8.8 kilometres to the scenic Quidi Vidi village. Along the way, it’s non-stop rugged coastal views with stunning cliffs and a good chance of iceberg sightings if you visit in June. Birders will love all the activity along this hike.

While in theory, the hike finishes in Quidi Vidi, I’d recommend adding another four kilometres and a little more than an hour of hiking time to finish in downtown St. John’s. There is the option of picking up a bus from the village as well. Look for the signs directing you to the Cuckold Cove Trail. Follow it to Signal Hill and from there into the city. [Read more…] about Hiking Newfoundland – Five Great Hiking Trails