Fresh mountain air, exercise and those beautiful views – I just love hiking! You can get the feeling of being on top of the world without even driving as far from Cranbrook as Top of the World Provincial Park. There are so many great hikes so close to home.

One of my favorite hikes is Lakit Lookout, less than half an hour from Cranbrook. I was up there last weekend to stretch out my legs and get some fresh air. The trail is nice, with lots of switchbacks over the steep parts. The views from the top are fantastic! There is a little cabin at the top which used to be a forest fire lookout. It never gets old writing my name in the guest book and flipping through old ones to remember past climbs. The best part about climbing Lakit Lookout is stopping at Fort Steele Heritage Town after for a scoop of cinnamon ice cream. I love that I can hike Lakit in the morning and be back in town in the afternoon to meet up with my friends.

Next week I think I’m going to another one of my preferred hikes, Hourglass Lake in the St. Mary’s Lake area. I love this hike because it has gentle ups and downs and ends at a lake, which, no surprise is shaped like an hourglass. I’m going to take a picnic lunch and eat by the lake. Food never tastes better than when you are outside after a nice hike. Hopefully the huckleberries will be out, they grow right beside the trail. Huckleberries are nature’s little bribe to get you out hiking, just like my mom used to do with candy!

For more information on hiking, visit the Cranbrook Tourism website.

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