Roosevelt Campobello International Park: West Trails (Blog Hike #766)

Trails: Trails #7, 5, and 6

Hike Location: Roosevelt Campobello International Park

Geographic Location: on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada (44.86279, -66.97436)

Length: 6.1 kilometers (or 3.8 miles)

Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)

Date Hiked: July 2019

Overview: A lollipop loop on the west side of Campobello Island.

Park Information: https://www.rooseveltcampobello.org/

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=759920

Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: This hike starts at the Campobello Island Tourist Information Centre located on the east side of the FDR Memorial Bridge linking New Brunswick’s Campobello Island and Lubec, Maine.  Note that although this park is called an international park, it technically lies in Canada.  Thus, Americans coming over the bridge from Lubec will need a passport to get to the park.

The hike: Located at the entrance to Passamaquoddy Bay just east of the United States-Canada border, Campobello Island is best known as the summer retreat of American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  Roosevelt’s family started coming to Campobello Island in 1883 when he was 1 year old.  After he grew up, Roosevelt continued bringing his own family to this island, and he bought a 34-room cottage that he visited on occasional summers until 1939.  Roosevelt’s cottage still stands on the northwest corner of the island near the park’s Visitor Centre (NOT the Tourist Information Centre at this hike’s start), and the cottage is open for tours daily during the summer.  Admission to the cottage is free, and I found the cottage surprisingly accessible and interactive when I toured it after my hike.

Roosevelt's Cottage

            Roosevelt Campobello International Park was established in 1964, and Roosevelt’s cottage still forms the park’s centerpiece.  Nevertheless, the park contains 2800 acres of natural areas laced with 11 hiking trails totaling nearly 14 kilometers.  The park’s best trails lie on its eastern side, which features rocky cliffs along the Atlantic Ocean.  I had done a rocky coastal hike the previous day at Maine’s Quoddy Head State Park just across the bay from here, so I chose to explore the park’s lesser-used trails on Campobello’s western side.  I had an excellent hike, and I only saw 2 other people on these trails.

Trailhead at Tourist Information Centre

            The signed trailhead at the Tourist Information Centre is located downhill from the Centre in the grassy area between the Centre and the road.  The mowed-grass trail heads downhill and to the west through a meadow area that features some nice wildflowers in the summer.  The trail map calls this route Trail #7, but no signs on the ground indicate such.

            At 0.4 kilometers, you reach the coast of Cobscook Bay at an area called Deep Cove.  The trail curves left to begin paralleling the bay through a moist environment that features many birch and pine trees.  Some two-plank boardwalk carries you over the softest ground, but the planks are old.  Some of the planks snapped under my substantial weight, and this boardwalk will need to be rebuilt in the near future.

Two-plank boardwalk

            The trail meanders through several steep ravines and crosses the creeks on wooden footbridges.  Unlike the boardwalk, the bridges seemed brand new: they were probably built the same year I came here.  At 1.5 kilometers, a gradual climb brings you to a meadow area called Fox Farm, the end of Trail #7, and an intersection with a paved park road.  Some restrooms and picnic tables stand at Fox Farm.

Entering Fox Farm

            Fox Farm marks the beginning of the loop portion of this hike.  I intended to continue straight on a wide gravel trail the park map calls Trail #5, thus hiking the loop clockwise.  Unfortunately, Trail #5 was closed for construction on my visit, so I had to walk to the other (south) end of Trail #5 on the park road.  From what I have read, Trail #5 offers a fairly easy woodland walk that also passes along a wetland area for part of its route.

            The south end of Trail #5 comes out at the park road near the parking lot for the Duck Islands Trail.  This short, narrow spur trail leads to a bench that offers a fantastic view of Duck Island, a tiny, rocky, pine tree-covered island that separates Duck Pond from the main waters of Cobscook Bay.  This bench makes a great place to sit, rest, and have a trail snack near the midpoint of this hike.

Duck Island

            Continuing west on the park road, you pass a picnic table at Cranberry Point before reaching the signed start of the return trail to Fox Farm.  Exit the road to the left to begin this trail, which the park map calls Trail #6.  Trail #6 offers a fairly flat and easy course that stays close to the shore of Cobscook Bay.  Views of the FDR Memorial Bridge and Lubec, Maine on its other side appear across the bay.

Looking across Cobscook Bay

            At 4.3 kilometers, the trail comes out at a small picnic area.  Walk the gravel picnic area access road uphill to reach the paved park road, then turn left on the paved park road to return to Fox Farm and close the loop.  Retrace your steps along Trail #7 to return to the Tourist Information Centre and complete the hike.  Alternatively, you could walk back on the paved park road, which sees very little traffic.  Make sure you stop by the park’s Visitor Centre to tour the cottage after your hike if you did not do so before.

Waterton Lakes National Park: Bertha Falls and Bertha Lake (Blog Hike #706)

Trail: Bertha Lake Trail

Hike Location: Waterton Lakes National Park

Geographic Location: Waterton, Alberta, Canada (49.04665, -113.91677)

Length: 11.4 kilometers (or 7.1 miles)

Difficulty: 9/10 (Difficult)

Date Hiked: July 2018

Overview: A somewhat long out-and-back, steep for about half its distance, passing two waterfalls en route to a sub-alpine lake.

Park Information: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/waterton

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=735090
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: The signed parking lot for the Bertha Lake Trail is located on Evergreen Avenue near the southwest corner of the Waterton townsite.  If you arrive early you can park in the gravel trailhead parking lot; otherwise you will have to park anywhere you can find a space in Waterton and walk to the trailhead.

The hike: For my general comments on Waterton Lakes National Park, see the previous hike.  This hike starts at the Waterton townsite featured in the previous hike but quickly enters the park’s natural areas.  The hike’s ultimate destination is Bertha Lake, an attractive medium-sized subalpine lake, but it passes two view-worthy waterfalls and some nice overlooks on the way.  Be warned that this trail is fairly popular especially up to the first waterfall, so staying overnight in Waterton and getting an early start like I did will be rewarded during the peak season.

Bertha Trailhead in Waterton townsite

            Start at the signed Bertha Trailhead at the southwest corner of the parking area.  The somewhat narrow dirt trail immediately starts climbing on a gradual to moderate grade.  The townsite quickly disappears over your left shoulder, and nice views of Upper Waterton Lake emerge as you climb higher.

            Near 1 kilometer into the hike, a brief rocky area will need to be negotiated as you continue to climb moderately.  At 1.4 kilometers, you reach a bench perched on a bare rocky outcrop that provides the best vista thus far.  Upper Waterton Lake sits below you to the left, while Mount Bertha and Mount Richards stand above you to the right.

Upper Waterton Lake

Mt. Richards behind Mt. Bertha

            Just past this overlook, you reach a signed trail intersection.  The Lakeshore Trail exits left to continue heading south for 4.3 kilometers before reaching the United States.  This hike continues straight to keep heading for Bertha Falls and Bertha Lake.  Now heading more west than south, Upper Waterton Lake disappears behind you as you round a low finger ridge.

            Next comes the only downhill section on the outbound portion of this hike as you descend gradually into the ravine that contains Bertha Creek.  Cascading Bertha Creek soon comes within earshot, and the gradual climb resumes.  Part of the enormous September 2017 Kenow wildfire burned in this ravine, and as I looked up the ravine I could see a patchwork of black and green representing burned and unburned areas.

Looking up Bertha Creek ravine

            The signed horse trail bypass exits right just before you reach the base of Lower Bertha Falls at 2.7 kilometers.  Lower Bertha Falls is a cascade-type waterfall that ends very abruptly when the water enters an inclined rock chute.  The dense pine forest can make it difficult to get a good view of the waterfall, but some rocks make nice places to sit, rest, and enjoy the cascading water before this hike’s difficulty picks up.

Lower Bertha Falls

Lower Bertha Falls and footbridge

            Some people turn around at Lower Bertha Falls, and for people in less than good health that is a good decision: thus far you have covered roughly half the distance but only one-third the elevation gain required to reach Bertha Lake.  Prepared and conditioned hikers will cross the locally famous wooden footbridge below Lower Bertha Falls and begin climbing the 21 switchbacks (this math professor did indeed count them!) required to reach Bertha Lake.  In general, the early and later switchbacks are long and hard while the ones in the middle are short and easy.  The footing on the dirt trail is quite good throughout.

Mt. Vimy across prairie

After the first switchback, you pass through an interesting sunny prairie area that affords a nice view of Vimy Peak to the east across Upper Waterton Lake.  At the fifth switchback, you pass a tree with an unusual horseshoe-shaped tree trunk.  Some hikers use this tree as a bench, but plenty of rocks along the trail also serve that function well. 

Tree with horseshoe-shaped trunk

            At the 16^th switchback, you get your best view of Upper Bertha Falls.  Upper Bertha Falls is another cascade-type waterfall, but it is much taller than its lower brother.  Dense greenery again somewhat impedes the waterfall view, but a nice view of Bertha Peak to the northwest emerges as you make your way past the waterfall.

Bertha Peak

Upper Bertha Falls

            The remaining switchbacks passed through some of the heaviest burned area on my visit; only charred tree stumps remained.  After topping the last switchback, you reenter the unburned area, and a fantastic view opens up to the northeast through a narrow gap in the trees.  Upper and Middle Waterton Lakes now sit well below you, and the plains of Alberta unfold beyond the lakes.

Upper and Middle Waterton Lakes

            A little more climbing brings you to the highest elevation of this hike, which stands nearly 550 meters (or 1800 feet) above the trailhead.  Bertha Lake can be seen through the trees from here, and a brief descent brings you to the lake’s eastern shore.  The lake’s clear, lightly rippling waters are surrounded by pine-covered mountains with some sheer rock cliffs visible at the lake’s west end.  Some ducks were enjoying their day at Bertha Lake while I enjoyed mine.  You have earned your spot at Bertha Lake, so take some time and have a rest and trail snack while you sit at the water’s edge.

Bertha Lake

            A gravel beach and a primitive campground lie just to the right, and an unmaintained 4 kilometer trail circles the lake if you have time and energy for more adventure.  The only way to reach Bertha Lake is the trail you hiked up, so eventually you will have to turn around and hike back down the way you came up.  While going down, you will find views that you missed on the way up.  Also, on the Sunday in late July when I hiked here, I passed almost nobody on my climb up, but I seemed to pass the entire population of Calgary on my way down.

Waterton Lakes National Park: Townsite and Prince of Wales Trails (Blog Hike #705)

Trails: Townsite and Prince of Wales Trails

Hike Location: Waterton Lakes National Park

Geographic Location: Waterton, Alberta, Canada (49.05116, -113.91590)

Length: 6.1 kilometers (or 3.8 miles)

Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)

Date Hiked: July 2018

Overview: A double loop around the Waterton townsite and the Prince of Wales Hotel.

Park Information: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/waterton

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=706663
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: This hike starts at Cameron Falls, which is located on Evergreen Avenue along the west side of the Waterton townsite.  If you cannot find a parking spot near the falls, you will need to park wherever you can find a spot in Waterton and walk to Cameron Falls.

The hike: Straddling the United States/Canada border, Waterton Glacier International Peace Park was created in 1932 as the union of two previously existing adjacent national parks: Waterton Lakes National Park in southern Alberta and Glacier National Park in northern Montana.  The union was the world’s first international peace park, and it forms the centerpiece of a transboundary area with unique geography, flora, and fauna.  In spite of the designation, the two parks are administered separately by their respective governments, they require separate entrance fees, and a passport is required to cross the border.  I had the privilege of visiting both parks on my summer 2018 hiking trip, starting with Waterton Lakes, Alberta and working my way south.

            Narrowing focus to the Canadian park, Waterton Lakes National Park was established in 1895 as Canada’s fourth national park.  The park gets its name from the three Waterton Lakes in its eastern part, which in turn are named for Charles Waterton, a Victorian naturalist and conservationist.  Waterton Lakes are the deepest lakes in the Canadian Rockies, and lake cruises on commercial cruise lines are offered several times per day during the summer.

            The only developed site in Waterton Lakes National Park is the Waterton townsite, so almost everyone visiting the park will find themselves in the town of Waterton at some point.  When I came here in July 2018, most of the park was closed in the aftermath of the enormous Kenow wildfire that burned a large area west of Waterton in September 2017.  Thus, I hiked the Townsite and Prince of Wales Trails described here partly because they were among the few trails that were open.  While these trails stay near civilization for their entire distance (see the next hike if you want an excursion into the park’s undeveloped area), they provide a nice introduction to the townsite and surrounding areas, which are still quite scenic.

Cameron Falls

            You could start this hike almost anywhere in Waterton, but I chose to start the trail description at Cameron Falls partly because it is easy to find and partly because its parking area experiences high turnover, thus making it fairly likely that you can find a parking spot.  Cameron Falls is a cascade-type waterfall in Cameron Creek, and the creek provides plenty of water to fall over the inclined rock layers.  Cameron Falls is one of the most popular and scenic sites in the Waterton townsite, so take a few minutes to enjoy the aquatic action.

Exiting Cameron Falls area

            After viewing the waterfall, begin the Townsite Loop by walking across the road and picking up the asphalt trail that heads southeast with Cameron Creek on your left.  The trail heads through a mowed grass area dotted with only a few trees as the Townsite Campground comes into view on the right.  As you cross the campground access road, notice the constructions along Cameron Creek that stabilize the banks of the creek’s channel.

            At 0.8 kilometers, the trail curves left to cross Cameron Creek on a sturdy footbridge.  An excellent view south across Upper Waterton Lake opens up here, and Parks Canada has placed a couple of their famous red Adirondack chairs at this point to mark the scenic view.  Vimy Peak rises from the lake’s far shore, and Mount Crandell towers over the townsite to the north.

Mount Crandell

            For the next 1.3 kilometers the trail heads northeast along the shore of Upper Waterton Lake.  Picnic shelters, lodging establishments, and other town buildings lie just left of the trail, so the Townsite Loop earns its name on this section.  Near 2 kilometers, you reach the International Peace Park Pavilion, which occupies a peninsula that juts north and separates Upper Waterton Lake from Emerald Bay.  The famous Prince of Wales Hotel stands atop the hill across Emerald Bay, and this point gives you a great view of that elaborate building.

Prince of Wales Hotel

            The trail curves left again and heads northwest past the Waterton Cruises dock and ticket booth to begin this hike’s journey around Emerald Bay.  A shady section comes next, and some benches here make nice places to sit, rest, and watch the lake just shy of this hike’s midpoint.  At 2.6 kilometers, you reach Waterton townsite’s main entrance road.  Do not cross the road, but instead turn right to leave the Townsite Loop and walk on a paved trail that parallels the road.

            After rounding the head of Emerald Bay, turn right and walk through the Emerald Bay Picnic Area, which was very popular on the warm and sunny Saturday afternoon that I hiked here.  At the rear of the picnic area, pick up the unsigned Prince of Wales Trail as it heads across a gravelly (as opposed to sandy) beach on Emerald Bay.  The beach offers another excellent view south across Upper Waterton Lake.

View south across Upper Waterton Lake

            3 kilometers into the hike, you reach the east end of the gravelly beach, where a brief rocky section needs to be traversed before you reach a second smaller beach.  When you exit the second beach and return to single-track dirt trail, the body of water on your right is now Middle as opposed to Upper Waterton Lake, but it is hard to tell the difference.  The hillside is steep and the trail narrow, so even though horses are allowed on this trail, large animals would struggle to fit through.

Hiking the Prince of Wales Trail

Vimy Peak across Middle Waterton Lake

            As you continue around the Prince of Wales Trail, the woods get denser, and another face of Vimy Peak appears across the lake.  At 4.2 kilometers, you reach the northeastern corner of the Prince of Wales Trail.  The Linnet Lake Picnic Area, a boat launch, and restrooms sit here.  Trails exiting left climb to the Prince of Wales Hotel and loop around Linnet Lake, but both of these trails were closed on my visit.  Thus, I had to head southwest on the roadside sidewalk that goes up and over a hill to get back to Waterton townsite.  Use the sidewalks in Waterton to return to your car and complete the hike.

Pigeon River Provincial Park: Middle Falls (Blog Hike #647)

Trail: Middle Falls Trail

Hike Location: Pigeon River Provincial Park

Geographic Location: southwest of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada (48.01846, -89.61032)

Length: 1.3 kilometers (or 0.8 miles)

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: July 2017

Overview: A short out-and-back through an abandoned campground to the scenic Middle Falls on the Pigeon River.

Park Information: https://www.ontarioparks.com/park/pigeonriver

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=632972
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From the Ontario Travel Information Centre at the US/Canada border, take Provincial Highway 61 north 2.5 kilometers to Ontario 593 and turn left on Ontario 593.  Drive Ontario 593 west 1.6 kilometers to the unsigned gravel Middle Falls parking area on the left.  Park here.

The hike: Tucked flush against the Pigeon River, which forms the United States/Canada border in this region, Pigeon River Provincial Park is Ontario’s piece of adjacent Grand Portage State Park in Minnesota.  The Ontario park was established in 1960, 29 years before its American counterpart.  The two parks straddle the Pigeon River, which has two major waterfalls within the parks’ boundaries: 125-foot High Falls and 20-foot Middle Falls.

            The provincial park is solely a day-use park, and it has no amenities other than the Ontario Travel Information Centre.  What Pigeon River Provincial Park lacks in amenities it makes up for in solitude and scenery.  Anglers enjoy casting their lures in the Pigeon River and Lake Superior, both of which can be accessed from the park.  The park lies in a transition zone between lowland and boreal forest, so birders spot a wide array of woodland songbirds here.

            For hikers, the park offers 5 trails that total just over 7 kilometers.  Trails access either of the Pigeon River’s two waterfalls from either country, but the easiest hike to High Falls starts in Minnesota while the easiest hike to Middle Falls starts in Ontario.  Thus, if you want to hike to Middle Falls, you can either hike 3.5 miles on muddy trails in Minnesota or 0.8 miles on a former campground road in Ontario.  This hike describes the latter option.

Middle Falls Trailhead

            From the parking area, head southwest on a two-track dirt road that passes through a gate.  A small blue sign tells you that Middle Falls is 0.7 kilometers away.  This sunny dirt road with some tall grass in the middle is the old campground road, and you will follow it almost all of the way to Middle Falls.

            The Pigeon River can constantly be heard to the left, but at 0.4 kilometers you reach your first good river view.  A picnic table and fire ring mark this point, and Middle Falls can be seen upstream from here.  Although this area is no longer an official campground, the fire ring showed signs of recent use on my visit.

Riverside picnic table

            Continuing southwest, you pass an abandoned concrete foundation on the right before reaching the old asphalt parking area at 0.6 kilometers.  Some white parking lot stripes can still be seen on the asphalt.  Ontario 593 can be seen and heard uphill to the right.

            The trail now becomes single-track as a brief and slightly rocky descent brings you to a fantastic view of Middle Falls.  Though only 6 meters high, the river provides plenty of water to fall, and the surrounding rocks frame the main falls nicely.  If you see hikers sitting atop the rocks to the left of the waterfall, they got here the hard way through Minnesota, and their view is not as good as yours.

Middle Falls

The trail ends at the waterfall, so after enjoying the waterfall you must retrace your steps along the old campground road to the parking lot to complete your hike.  While you are in Canada, consider hiking the Boardwalk Trail, an easy route that starts at the Ontario Travel Information Centre and leads to the shore of Lake Superior, or try Ontario’s trail to High Falls if you want more of a challenge.