Cold, eeew it is cold. Numbers say it is 10 but the air says it is a lot colder. Thought I could get out of the tent and survive with my fuzzy on, but nope. Touque, fuzzy, anorak, socks, mitts, and I’m still borderline. Debbie won’t even get out of her sleeping bag. Only clouds in the sky, sun isn’t even glowing through. The plan for the day, stay warm.
Get up late so breakfast is late and the moving about warms the extremities. Food also helps. Think a short hike would extend the heating and we are off to explore the campground. Seems the road in front of the tent is on a hiking trail. Figuring if we follow the signs it may take us somewhere and we know for sure the boat launch is in that direction so we can’t get too lost.
Murray Doell Campground Beach
As our hike progress we gather more and more information. Mostly from signs but we do run into the only other inhabitants of the campground and they, being experienced Meadow Lakers, fill us in a bit more. The Boreal Trail we are on seems to extend from one end of the park to the other. This we discover by driving to the far end of the park and finding trail remnants all along the way. Next we are in a portion of Canada’s boreal forest. And that is what the trail is highlighting. Trembling aspens, bears, loons, tamarack, deer and assorted other flora and fauna. Most of which we have seen in our travels. Including 2 bear cubs. We were in the car so in no danger even if mom was about.
Bear Cub #2
The park is also very popular destination as we stop at 5 or 6 different lakes and everyone of them has a campground. At least 3 of them, including the one we are at have over 120 spots. I thinks it would be very crowded mid summer. I don’t think any one has much over the others. The Murray Doell has a small beach but the camp sites are separated nicely and there is ton of room and personally the one I like best. The Greig Lake site is a little more developed with paved roads, a large family area and beach, but the sites are a little more open and less private.
Deer Crossing
At Kimball Lake the sites are huge, big enough for a large RV and a boat, the roads are paved and it has a very big nice beach. Not much of a place for tenters but good for families and trailer haulers. A much smaller campground is at Matheson Lake as there is no electricity, and the beach is butt ugly.
I’m not sure I could swim in any of the lakes. They look clean enough and there is not much seaweed but just looking at them I can see how cold they are. This is, after all, approaching northern Canada, and I guess it is almost autumn. It seems to be a place for boaters and fishers. The lakes would be wonderful if you had a canoe or a kayak and I’m sure there are plenty of kids that spend countless hours in them but for us it seems like a good place to chill.
The temperature at the moment is ensuring we chill physically but this would be the time of year to come and rest. By the look of what is here summer would not be a time to get away from the daily routine.