Pussywillow Lane is the trail at the lower entrance into Dallas-Barnhartvale Nature Park. There are actually two trail systems, side-by-side, with a fence and gates dividing them. The Blackwell Trails are on grazing lease and were managed by the Barnhartvale Horse and Hiker Preservation Society. A new proposal is now in place to improve the network of trails and enhance a wetland area on the benchland.   Information can be found at http://www.parkfriends.ca/

To hike the Pussywillow Lane Trail, drive along Dallas Drive (east) and turn south at Mountview Road.    There is a new trailhead sign, parking, and kiosks at the trailhead.   Follow the trail signs as it climbs a gully to the benchlands.   Signposts are now at junctions.   We turned left (north) and followed the fenceline to the edge of the hill and through a gate into the Blackwell Trail system.   We hiked up the Red Fox Ridge Trail (#5) towards Blackwell Road, then turned west across the open grasslands bench to the gate into the Barnhartvale-Dallas Park trail system near Eliza Road.

There are several options for a loop and we chose an extended loop using parts of the newly-named Benchland Trail back to Pussywillow Lane, a total of 6km of hiking on the snow.

(Friends of Dallas-Barnhartvale map - see the link above)

We enjoy hiking these trails in the shoulder season since they are low elevation and with moderate grades.   The snowy trails were stomped-in nicely.   This is a scenic area with good trails and highly recommended.