Canada Day 11 (2) - Lots going on at Maligne Lake

You would think that Maligne Lake is near Maligne Canyon. However, it's actually about an hour's drive away! But the drive there is incredibly scenic. And they say there are a lot of bears to see here, but so far no sign of them. There's also a lot of traffic here! It feels like everyone wants to go to Maligne Lake.

Not just a feeling, because when we arrived at the parking lot, we had to search for a while. The first few parking spaces by the lake were completely full. That really dampened our idea of a nice and quiet hike. But on the last parking space, we finally found a spot. Surprisingly, there is still snow up here!

We had already decided to hike the 3 km long Mary Schäffer Loop. The perfect length for a short hike when you don't have the whole day. We found the entrance point of the trail right away from a sign that showed all the trails. There was still a lot of snow in the forest. As soon as we entered the forest, it suddenly became quiet. We quickly forgot about the crowded parking lot, because most people were probably down by the lake. We were completely undisturbed here, finally! We could finally use the bear bell that we bought on the recommendation of our host family in Hinton. We didn't need it on the crowded trails before. Our mood instantly improved and we were excited for the hike. But after a few hundred meters, we were surprised to find that the rest of the trail was closed off with caution tape. Confused, we didn't know if that meant the trail was closed, because there was no sign or anything. No indication, just a little caution tape between two trees. Disappointed, we walked back to the parking lot and had to find a new trail.

The Moose Lake Trail was a possible alternative. It was about the same length as the originally chosen Mary Schäffer Loop. But we had to get to the other side of the lake, so we had to walk along the lake. That's where pretty much all the tourists were. There was a lot going on there. Unbelievably, the sky was also getting cloudy and it started snowing...in June! But the snow didn't last long. We followed the signs to the trail, which was nowhere near as quiet as the first one. Everyone seemed to want to hike this trail. Of course, it was short and right by the lake. The further we went into the forest, the more the crowds dispersed. But soon, the bear bell became annoying, so we put it away. We felt a bit silly using it on such a crowded trail. The trail, covered in melting snow, was a muddy mess and we had to be careful not to slip. We were amazed when we met a couple along the way who were actually pushing a stroller on this trail. Crazy!

When we arrived at Moose Lake, we were reminded once again that we weren't the only ones here. There are supposed to be moose here, as the name suggests. But it's understandable that they didn't want to show up in the chaos. The lake itself is small but beautiful. Crystal clear and nestled in the forest, it has a somewhat mystical aura.

We followed the trail back to Maligne Lake and had some of our snacks there. Our diet mainly consists of jerky and granola bars. Then it was time to continue our journey.