On a sunny fall day I drove on roads to the upper west end of Juniper Ridge to the trailhead at the top of Balsam Place (Qu’Appelle > Coldwater >Balsam).    An old double track starts at the end of the road and winds its way up the hill through the forest.    

This is a route that has been there for a long time, well before Juniper Ridge was established.    When I ran and hiked it 50 years ago, we came from Rose Hill Road.  

The douglas fir forest gives way to mixed forest and some grasslands near Scott Road.  

On the route are a few viewpoints, with some of those views shared here.    Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.

the view northeast

the view to the northwest

the view to the north

aspens over the hill

the grasslands bench with the Mt. Peter-Paul Ridge across the valley

Part of the hike was along Scott Road, with a grasslands bench overlooking the valley.  

This hike is moderate, covering 5 km, with a hill to climb, but rewarding views above the forest.   Watch for a YouTube video on the Ramble On Channel in the near future.