Outdoor Adventure
If you love hiking, cycling, paddling, caving and outdoor adventure, you'll love these articles. Read on and explore the great outdoors with us! We've visited some amazing nature hot spots and we've got some great tips to help you plan your own adventures in nature.
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10 Best Easy Hikes in Kananaskis
Some of the best easy hikes in Kananaskis lead to waterfalls, mountaintops and glistening lakes. Kananaskis is a year-round outdoor paradise that runs along the edge of Banff National Park and includes some of the prettiest scenery in the Canadian Rockies. It is a vast recreation area with many incredible hiking trails, so it was difficult to pick a top ten list. There’s a hike for every level of hiker in Kananaskis County and everyone has his or her own idea of what classifies as an “easy hike.” We’ve included some amazing family-friendly hikes on this list – everything from a stroller-friendly lake loop to a short and steep summit…
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Larch Valley Hike – Have a Magical Autumn
The storied Larch Valley Trail is the signature larch hike of the Canadian Rockies and with good reason. Snow dusted mountain peaks and golden yellow larches make for one of the most beautiful hiking experiences on the planet. It gets crowded during peak season, but it's worth braving the crowds to hike this iconic trail. Here are some tips for how to hike Banff's most popular trail in peak season.
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Jasper Icewalk – Discover Maligne Canyon in Winter
Hiking the deepest canyon in Jasper National Park is an incredible experience in any season, but it’s particularly special in winter. When the canyon freezes, you get the opportunity to see frozen waterfalls and other incredible ice formations. It’s nature’s artistry at its finest. It’s wonderful to walk along the snow-covered trails near the canyon’s edge, but a Jasper icewalk lets you walk on the frozen Maligne River and see the ice formations close up. There are affiliate links in this post. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of these links, Wander Woman Travel Magazine may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your…
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Star Creek Falls Ice Walk
There’s something magical about seeing a deep craggy canyon from the ground up and the Star Creek Falls ice walk lets you do that and much more. It’s a chance to see the power of erosion from an entirely new angle. You technically have to walk on water to get the view – which in summer, spring or fall is impossible. That’s what makes winter so special. When the creek is frozen, you can make your way carefully along the ice taking in the geology and the incredible ice formations that showcase nature’s artistry. There are affiliate links in this post. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of…
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Hiking the Wave in Arizona Just Got Easier!
Hiking the Wave in Arizona is an experience of a lifetime, but you have to win a lottery to get a permit to do it. According to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), 200,589 people applied for 7,300 permits to hike the wave in 2019. The odds of success in 2019 were about 3.5 percent. My husband and I were in that 3.5 percent. The BLM recently announced that as of Feb 1, 2021 they are increasing the number of permits from 20 people per day to 64 people per day. This will make it a little easier to get a permit for one of the world’s most exclusive hikes.…
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Winter Hikes & Snowshoe Trails Near Canmore
Midway between Kananaskis Country and Banff National Park, the charming town of Canmore makes a great base for exploring the Canadian Rockies in winter. It’s a destination that absolutely sparkles when the snow falls. One of the best ways to enjoy the frosty season is to get outside and enjoy Canmore winter hikes and snowshoe trails. There are plenty of wonderful pathways and trails both inside and outside Banff National Park to explore and the scenery can’t be beat. Here are some suggested Canmore winter hikes and snowshoe trails outside the national park. There are affiliate links in this post. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of these…
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Fraser River Sturgeon – How to Catch a 50-Year-Old Virgin Sturgeon
“This one’s a virgin!” our guide Chad pronounced as he scanned the body of the 39-kg (86 pound) white sturgeon we had just pulled out of the mighty Fraser River in British Columbia. Fortunately for the fish, he wasn’t referring to sexual status, but to the fact that it had never been caught and tagged before. When I asked him to estimate the age of the massive fish, Chad said he figured it was about 50 years old. Our guide carefully examined the fish, recorded several measurements and then placed a tiny electronic PIT tag just under the skin using a special needle. Then we gently lowered the fish back…
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Nihahi Ridge – 360-degree Views in Kananaskis Country
The wind picked up as my friend and I made our way to the top of Nihahi Ridge in Kananakis Country and to be honest, I was a bit nervous. I lowered my centre of gravity to keep myself firmly grounded to the ridge and slowly made my way to a quiet spot to take in the view. It felt like I was at the top of the world. The commanding views from this mountain ridge are nothing short of spectacular. It’s one of the top view hikes in the Canadian Rockies for good reason and it’s worth the effort to take in this beautiful panoramic scene. There are…
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El Faro Mazatlan – Hike to the World’s Highest Natural Lighthouse
On a recent vacation to Mazatlan, Mexico, my boyfriend, Garrett and I were looking for fun things to do. As a nature lover and an avid hiker, I couldn’t resist when our cab driver brought up the El Faro Mazatlan hike. Our cab driver explained that you could see “all of Mazatlan from the top and the view is spectacular.” It sounded so appealing that we decided to plan a day to experience the hike to El Faro Lighthouse. There are affiliate links in this post. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of these links, Wander Woman Travel Magazine may receive a small commission at no extra cost…
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Lake Newell & Kinbrook Island – Alberta’s Best Kept Secret
You don’t have to travel to a tropical island to find warm water and sandy beaches in Alberta – not in the summer anyways. Fourteen kilometres south of Brooks lies Lake Newell, one of the largest and warmest man made lakes in the province. The broad sandy beach at Kinbrook Island Provincial Park is a real treat on a sunny day and there are nice playgrounds and campgrounds there. Other activities include boating, fishing and birding. It’s a beautiful place to be on a warm day and there are plenty of warm days in this arid region of southern Alberta. There are affiliate links in this post. If you make…
