The Grasslands Community trail is a 14 km route point-to-point route that connects the forest near McQueen and Isobel Lakes with the grasslands near Deep Lake in Westsyde.

Driving Directions and Trailheads:

• There are two trailheads.   Most hikers prefer to hike from the upper trailhead to the lower trailhead, but this means having a two-vehicle system.
• To get to the upper trailhead, drive north through Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area and at the end of McQueen Lake, turn right onto the McQueen – Isobel Forest Service Road.   The trailhead is about 3km along this road.   Watch for the sign on the right. (close to N50 49.887 W120 25.328)
• It is also possible to get to the trail by going past Clay Lake or, when students are not at McQueen Lake, by the Day Center Trail.   All three routes lead to the sign in the meadow where the trail bears east (N50 49.377 W120 20.610).
• The lower trailhead is found near the top of Ida Lane in Westsyde.   Drive out Westsyde Road, then turn up Ida Lake.   Signs indicate where to park, but since parking is limited, some hikers park down at Westsyde Shopping Center.   There are now three trails up to Deep Lake.  
  

 

Trail:

• From the meadow the trail passes a pond, then winds down McQueen Creek in the forest.
• The trail enters the grasslands and crosses the drainage and the Long Lake Road.   The route goes over a ridge and takes a long downhill route through the middle grasslands to Deep Lake.   The final section drops down to the end of Ida Lane.
• Grasslands Community Trail Map (pdf)
• Grasslands Community Trail (article and information)

 

 

grasscomm5/dsmith