Wabasso lake Trail + Valley of the Five Lakes Trail

After checking the information board (watch out: bees on the trail! 🐝), we set off. It's quite busy, but as soon as we take the turn towards Wabasso, we see no one else. Wonderful, but we’re also venturing deeper into the forest on a very narrow path without encountering anyone. We've been thoroughly warned about bears, elks and moose 🐻🦌. Feeling uneasy, we decide to turn back after fifteen minutes. We only have a bear bell, no spray, and it’s just the two of us. A bit disappointing, but it is what it is. After a few minutes of walking back, we meet two brothers who don’t mind if we join them. This is great because we've been told it's safer to hike in bear country with four or more people. The hike is beautiful, passing from forest to meadow to river, and finally, after a good 8 kilometers, we reach a completely secluded lake. What a view! The winter is clearly approaching; a snow shower hangs over a white-capped peak in the distance, and the grasses and deciduous trees are turning a lovely orange. Amazing! 🌲🍁❄️ The return trip is the same, but we walk it together. Full of good spirits, lots of talking and laughter, and two hours later, we’re back at the junction where it’s much busier. So cool! Now on to the lakes, there are 5 in total, covering about 7 kilometers with a hundred meters of elevation. The walk goes smoothly, and the lakes are stunning. 🏞️ [moderate, 17km, 400m elevation]