Pioneers who homesteaded near Lac du Bois named the pond on the north side of the hill “Stony Lake.”   A homestead cabin (M. Scott) stood on the western side of Stony Lake until about 10 years ago.   A few remnant timber can still be seen there today.  Today the lands nearby are part of the Nature Conservancy of Canada Lac du Bois Conservancy.   the old dirt track that connects the Lac du Bois Road to the homesteads all the way to Clay Lake is becoming grown in now, but hikers can follow it through the upper grasslands in any season, but in spring the wildflowers are in bloom (click the link at the bottom), ducks are in the ponds, and the hills are full of birds and insects.   We hiked 3.5 km in early June  on a cloudy day.

 

By June the upper grasslands are green and the grass is already near its full height.   Aspen trees are fully-leafed and the wildflowers covered all the slopes.  Grey skies threatened, but it did not rain.

 

 

The Stony Lake road/track can still be seen, except in low spots so we just followed the old double track through the hills and past ponds.

 

The ponds were all still full in June and ducks were dabbling on the surface for insects.   They are also breeding grounds for mosquitoes so we moved briskly past the wet areas.

 

The grassland slopes to the east rise steeply to the top of Clapperton Ridge.

 

We wound our way over to the shores of Stony Lake, a quiet spot in upper grasslands.

 

Piles of stones are field markers left by the homesteaders marking grazing and farming boundaries.

 

Low spots are where there is enough moisture for aspens to take root, expanding by cloning.

 

We hiked up over the hill and along the ridge tops back to the starting point.   Wide views in all directions showed us Mt. Wheeler and Opax Mountain, Lac du Bois, and ponds between the hills of the grasslands.

 

A hundred years after the area was logged, farmed, and homesteaded, the area is now returning to its natural state and hikers can walk the old tracks to witness the beauty of the uplands of Lac du Bois.

 

More Information:

• Stony Lake Wildflowers
• NCC Lac du Bois Conservancy
• Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area
• Stony Lake trailhead – N50 47.615 W120 26.638
• Next post – June 20 – Dewdrop Escarpment Loop