Trailchew https://trailchew.com Trail Maps, Photos, Stats and Info Thu, 01 Oct 2020 16:38:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.2 https://trailchew.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-Trailchew-Icon--32x32.jpg Trailchew https://trailchew.com 32 32 Sol Duc Falls Nature Trail – Olympic National Park https://trailchew.com/sol-duc-falls-nature-trail-olympic-national-park/ https://trailchew.com/sol-duc-falls-nature-trail-olympic-national-park/#respond Fri, 25 Oct 2019 15:27:42 +0000 http://trailchew.com/?p=1635 Hiking along the Sol Duc Falls Nature Trail is one of the best day hikes in Olympic National Park. The main trail is great for all abilities. The route also…

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Hiking along the Sol Duc Falls Nature Trail is one of the best day hikes in Olympic National Park. The main trail is great for all abilities. The route also offers a longer loop for those looking to explore a bit further. The old growth forest is covered in every color of green you can imagine. Slowing down to look for moss and mushrooms will provide a great appreciation for the abundance of life. Even on a sunny day, you can still feel the dampness of the forest.  Afterwards, the Sol Duc Hot Springs (public pool) is just down the road, and offers another way to get even more mellow.

  • Hike to Sol Duc Falls

       Hike - 1.6 Mile (Round Trip)
       Elevation - 78 m
       Time - 1 Hour

Route

The drive from the main highway is uphill and roughly 25 minutes. Keep an eye out for deer, as they are abundant and like to hang out near the Hot Springs. The Trail Head is at the end of the parking lot and includes a map with all the info you need to know. The trail is wide and so well maintained that you will not need a map, unless you plan on going further than Sol Duc Falls Nature Trail. There are beautifully constructed wooden bridges that will bring you over a few small streams, and eventually to the Falls. Once you get to Sol Duc, there is a trail marker for the Lovers Lane Trail, which is totally worth it if you have time. However, lover’s lane will take you to Sol Duc Hot Springs, which is 2.2 miles away from the Sol Duc Trailhead.

 

Photography

This might be the place where you take the most nature photos of all time. The forest is so special in this area, the constantly changing weather provides different opportunities at a moment’s notice. Hopefully you will get to see sunbeams of light piercing through fog and old growth. The bright colours and punchy light sources will offer a fun challenge for your camera skills. Amazing how the colours look over saturated in real life. The trail is short, so take the time to stop and look for mushrooms, giant slugs and other special trail items in and around the main route. Because the weather changes so fast, staying put for a few moments might make all the difference if you see something you really admire.

 

    Storm King & Lake Crescent Lodge

If the short hike to Sol Duc is not enough, the 700m climb up to Mount Storm King will fill the rest of your day. The hike starts from the Storm King Ranger Station and will take about an hour to hike 3km up the mountain. The trail is easy to navigate, but it will get tougher the closer you get to the peak. This trail requires a decent level of fitness and confidence. Some sections include fixed ropes for scrambling up looser parts of the trail. Keep in mind, it is easy to climb past Storm King, as there is another peak just above it. The small trail past Storm King is super sketchy and not worth the risk. Storm King is high enough. Take in the well-deserved view of the bright blue Crescent Lake. Crescent Lake lodge is great place to stop by for a post hike beer.

  • Hike to Mt Storm King

       Hike - 3.8 Miles (Round Trip)
       Elevation - 620 m
       Time - Two Hours

  • Lake Crescent Lodge

       Built In 1915
       Lounge, Sun Patio and a Bar
       Expensive but tasty food

    Nearby Trails

If you are driving west towards the coast, and you really enjoyed Sol Duc, then you will want to check out the Hoh Rain Forest. Right next to the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center are two classic Olympic Park Rain Forest hikes, the Hall of Mosses Trail and the Spruce Nature Trail. These trails are two separate loops that start and finish right beside each other. These hikes are deep in the park and includes mass quantities of moss and beautiful old growth trees. The Hoh River Trail is a really good option if you want something with a little more distance. On your drive to the trail head, the Hoh River runs right beside the road in some sections. Great place to have a picnic and a tasty beverage away from the crowds.

Trip Advice

  • 2 Night Stay

  • Bring all your camera gear

  • Dear and Slugs

  •      So Much Fungus

  •      Hike Options for All Abilities

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]]> https://trailchew.com/sol-duc-falls-nature-trail-olympic-national-park/feed/ 0 Canoeing in Killarney Provincial Park https://trailchew.com/canoeing-in-killarney-provincial-park/ https://trailchew.com/canoeing-in-killarney-provincial-park/#comments Sat, 21 Sep 2019 20:34:09 +0000 http://trailchew.com/?p=1568 Canoeing in Killarney Provincial Park offers some of the most unique landscapes in Ontario. The bright white quartzite La Cloche range is on full display at the George Lake Access…

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Canoeing in Killarney Provincial Park offers some of the most unique landscapes in Ontario. The bright white quartzite La Cloche range is on full display at the George Lake Access Point. Canoeing from George Lake eastward to Norway lake passes by Jack Pines, sapphire blue lakes and tons of wildlife. Once you get to Norway Lake, day trips to Silver Peak and WhiskyJack Lake are with in reach. The La Cloche Silhouette Trail is also nearby if you feel up to a longer hike. There so many great reasons to spend a few nights on Norway Lake.

  • George to Norway Lake

       Canoeing - 11 km
       Portaging - 2.5 km
       Time - 3.5 hours

Route

George Lake access is the most popular in the park, and OSA Lake is pretty much always booked. Which is why Norway Lake is such a great alternative. Killarney Lake is another good option, however finding a campsite can take a while, due to the number of sites, and the size of the lake. With in the first 15 minutes of paddling on George Lake, you will see pink granite and white quartzite ridges on both sides of the Lake. It’s a super nice feeling to go from the campground to the wilderness of Killarney in such a short period of time. If you arrive late in the day, camping on George Lake is a great option. After George Lake, you will paddle through the swampy Freeland Lake. It is very difficult to travel to Norway via Kakakise when the water level is low in Freeland Lake. Killarney Lake is for sure the best way to access Norway Lake.

 

Campsites

There are a ton of campsites on Killarney Lake. The best sites are located near the middle of the lake, but if they are all taken, there is a good site at the far end of the lake. You don’t get to look at a wide-open lake, but the site is elevated enough that you can still get a nice view of the lake and the La Cloche range. The site has lots of room for tents and all the other amenities you would expect. The view down the lake is facing West, which should help with the sunset. Once you get to Norway, you will want the north east campsite on Norway. This campsite is elevated and has a super cool 30-foot cliff right beside the fire pit. Its safe to jump if you are feeling brave. The best part about this site is you can do all sorts of super fun day trips right from your campsite.

 

    Silver Peak & WhiskyJack Lake

Canoeing in Killarney Provincial Park might not be for you if climbing one of the highest peaks in Ontario doesn’t sound like fun. Hiking to Silver Peak is around 3.5km one way straight through the bush. You will get an awesome 360 vista of the park and a great view of the La Cloche range. WhickyJack Lake is much closer and only takes 30 minutes to hike through the bush. The lake is the clearest and maybe the coldest lake in the park. It is a bit frightening to swim above what looks like the abyss. Before disembarking, download the Avenza App and upload Jeff’s Killarney map! It will be a huge help. The app will give you an offline map of the park, plus it will provide your GPS location without a cell phone signal. I noticed Jeff’s Killarney map is no longer online, but hopefully you can still download them via the app when you read this. AllTrails is another offline map option but you have to be running the map in the app before you loose cell phone signal. The Pro version will let you download maps.

  • Norway to WhiskyJack

       Bushwhacking - 1.2 km
       Time - 35 minutes

  • Norway to Silver Peak

       Bushwhacking - 3 km
       Time - 90 minutes

    Nearby Trails

If you are looking for another excursion. The La Cloche Trail is on the other side of WhiskyJack Lake. From there you can hike either direction. The entire trail is 82km and runs a giant loop through the park. Normally takes 5-7 days, however a few people have completed it in one day. The trail runs over most of the La Cloche range and provides some awesome views.

Trip Advice

  • 3 Night Stay

  • So Many Things to Photograph

  • Peace and Quiet

  • Bears, Deer and Chipmunks

  • Fun Daytime Adventures

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]]> https://trailchew.com/canoeing-in-killarney-provincial-park/feed/ 2 Best MTB Trails in BC https://trailchew.com/best-mtb-trails-in-bc/ https://trailchew.com/best-mtb-trails-in-bc/#respond Sat, 18 May 2019 14:29:34 +0000 http://trailchew.com/?p=1653 TypeError thrown

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