BY RYLEE MACLENNAN

With the snow slowly melting and spring steadily approaching, you may be planning a trip or two for the summer. Being a student, trip planning can get expensive fast: accommodations, park passes, food, gas – the list goes on! So look a little closer to Camrose and plan to spend a day amongst the trees, birds, and beavers. Try Miquelon Lake Provincial park. If you’ve never been there, you can hike, walk, bike, and learn to your heart’s content. Here is how to pack for a day hike at Miquelon – from someone who has accidentally hiked a mountain.

Let’s be clear: you can camp at Miquelon lake, but as a student, you might not have the money, but you want to *feel* like you’re getting away, even if just for a day. So a day hike is a great option for you! I’ll cover what to bring for a walk, a 1-2 hour hike, and an all-day hike, as all need various levels of preparedness. I’ll also include a few walks and hikes to get you started blazing your trail.

A Walk (because no one wants to get all sweaty):

Trails to take: 

• Shoreline path: paved and has a gorgeous lake view
• Grebe Interpretive Path: paved and is a great learning experience

What to bring:

• Good walking shoes, no flip flops or heels, just a decent pair of shoes you don’t mind getting a little dirty
• A full water bottle
• Cell phone
• A snack (or a few!)

A Few-Hour Hike (because you like to hike but aren’t too hardcore… yet):

Trails to take: 

• Holdsworth: unpaved and looks at the magnificent forests around Miquelon lake – and you might meet some of the furry residents of the park!

What to bring:

• Good walking shoes; I’d recommend investing in a pair of hiking shoes if you plan to do more hiking in the future, but runners work fine as well
• More than one water bottle. I personally take 2-3, just in case
• A cell phone
• A flashlight
• A snack and a meal that is easy to eat on the trail
• A rain jacket or other warm jacket
• Bandaids and blister pads
• Sunscreen and bug spray
• A hat
• A backpack to store everything in. This can be any backpack that is comfortable to wear

A Day Hike (because you like to feel the blood pumping and the birds chirping):

Trails to take: 

• Backcountry trails are unpaved and have the most challenging hikes at Miquelon. You are guaranteed to see wildlife. Another positive is that you choose the length of the hike, and it can be made anywhere from 2km long to 10km long.

What to bring:

• Best hiking shoes, these shoes should be well broken in and be comfortable to wear for hours on end
• Lots of water; know that these hikes can take 5+ hours to trek and have many hills
• A cell phone and another communication device as cell service will not reach that far out
• A flashlight 
• Many energizing snacks 
• A full meal (or two)
• Electrolyte drink
• Layered clothing, rain jacket, hoodie, and warm jacket
• A complete and well-stocked first-aid kit
• Sunscreen and bug spray
• A hat
• A lighter
• A knife (for safety and emergency)
• A daypack or structured backpack to store everything

There you have it: everything you’ll need to bring on your next trek to Miquelon! Know that all the trails are monitored, and if you get lost, or in case of a mishap, the maintenance crew will come through about once a day. So while this isn’t guaranteed, you won’t get too lost without someone noticing. Finally, make sure to leave the trails better than you found them, and that preparedness is key!

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