Lake Minnewanka: Park warden’s cabin out-and-back

I am obsessed with Lake Minnewanka lately – mainly because it’s snow free and not too busy at this time of year.

On Saturday, I ran an out-and-back to the park warden’s cabin along the Lake Minnewanka trail. Today the warden’s cabin is essentially a historical site. It’s a great marker for a straight-forward 30-kilometre run.

This is the furthest I have run on the 30*-kilometre shoreline trail at the lake. Usually I run to Alymer Lookout (at the first campground junction). I have always wanted to see more of the trail and now is the time of year to explore because it’s not tourist season and there are no trail restrictions in place.

I reached the lake just after 8:30 a.m. I started a little later than I would have liked but I was hemming and hawing over the weather. It had been raining everywhere all week and the forecast suggested Mother Nature wasn’t done with the rain just yet. The parking lots were fairly empty, but I did see more people than in the previous weeks.

It’s about 8.5 km to the Alymer Lookout junction/LM 8 (campground). I always start my Garmin from the car so the signage is always off and I have to do math to figure out the distance to the next sign. It’s incredibly annoying sometimes but I am often pleasantly surprised when I miscalculated and the distance to the parking lot is much shorter than expected.

Bear aware while running to the warden’s cabin

The trail continued to wind through the incredibly green forest and offered picture-perfect views of the surrounding mountains and the lake. The warden’s cabin would be another 7.5k from the first campground, and I would pass two other campgrounds before reaching the cabin. The runnable trail was mostly single track with some roots, rocks and dirt.

The night before, I had stupidly read a trail report where someone mentioned there was a momma bear and her cubs lurking beyond LM 8. I was looking for trail conditions not necessarily bear sightings. Lake Minnewanka is on the edge of a core area for grizzlies in Banff National Park. From July 10 to September 15, there’s a seasonal restriction where you must travel in groups of four or more.

I wasn’t surprised that someone had reported a bear sighting. It’s spring and bears are waking up. I always carry my bear spray and I am hyper aware when I run alone in the mountains. I usually don’t give it too much thought save for checking for bear signs.

For those next 7.5 kilometres beyond LM 8, I kept scanning the shoreline and the trees for movement. I didn’t expect to see anyone else on the trail. I chatted with a few women at LM 11 when I paused briefly to look around. On the animal front, I saw was a deer and a few squirrel.

Reaching the warden’s cabin was anti-climatic. I was moving slow because I convinced myself there was a bear around just around every corner waiting to meet my acquaintance. The cabin was adorable with its two sheds in the back. There were a couple of tree stumps on the porch so I sat down and ate the rest of my snacks before turning around.

Heading to the parking lot

Just as I was getting ready to run back, it started to rain slightly. I put on my little jacket and picked up the pace. The rain didn’t last too long but I knew I had to keep moving if I wanted to stay warm. I didn’t have any more thoughts of bears as I cruised home. I bumped into the two campers who I had seen at LM 11. They were camping at LM 20 for the night. Funny how the trail seemed shorter on the way back.

Good long run. My hammie didn’t bother me so that was a big win. I will likely go back to the lake one more time before the trail restrictions are in place. I’d like to go beyond the cabin to Ghost Lakes even though I know the trails aren’t maintained.

Do you prefer running in popular areas or more secluded trails? Why? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.