Thursday 26 March 2009

Hiking Trails - Beaver Creek

Today's hike is an amble on one of the five trails at Beaver Creek Conservation Area.


[1-Banks of Beaver Creek]


Beaver Creek Conservation Area is located 13 km south of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It is a sheltered creek and part of the microcosm of the Meewasin Valley, containing one of the few uncultivated short-grass prairie sites in Saskatchewan. There are five self-guided nature trails in this location. “Meewasin” is the Cree word for ‘beautiful’.



[2-Wild Bergamot]




[3-Prairie Coneflower]





[4-Beaver Creek is low for June]



[5-Staircase down to ravine bottom]











[6-Dotted Blazing Star appear July to August]





[7-Bridge near visitor centre]






[8-Prairie Sunflower]





[9]






[10-Beaver Creek]




[11-Wavy Leafed Thistle with wild oats - click to enlarge]






[12]





[13-Parting shot of Beaver Creek - click to enlarge]


For information and an aerial view on Beaver Creek in the Meewasin Valley go here and here for programs.

Photo Credits: [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]-Daryl Mitchell CC=nc-sa-flickr.

17 comments:

Teresa said...

I love the wildflowers, Barbara. When I was little my grandma used to take me to the mountains, and we'd go on "wildflower nature walks". Those are very happy memories.

dND said...

Such lovely posts - you should work for the tourist board.

Deborah

Charles Gramlich said...

Purple is such an amazing color when you see it in the wild. No wonder it's called "royal."

Sepiru Chris said...

What stunning images; memories of home.

Rune Eide said...

I really must start walk more into the nature than I do when I see these pictures and the whole setting. I especially loved the bridge. Asphalt is dull.

PS Thank you for all the comments!

Barbara Martin said...

Teresa, I'm glad these photos brought back nice memories. This is the parkland with which I am familiar with from childhood. The creeks and rivers of Saskatchewan are the lifeblood of the farmers and creatures that live nearby.

Deborah, you're not the first person to say that. I'm pleased to be able to present my country to others in the way I see it: filled with wonderful countryside that is different in many locations.

Charles, the wildflowers have such a gamut of colours.

Barbara Martin said...

Chris, I like the area around Saskatoon due to its uniqueness.

RuneE, there are many places in Canada to go on short hikes or walks that can be taken at a leisurely pace. Often my hiking posts are grueling with steep elevation changes.

Linda McLaughlin said...

It looks so pretty and inviting. Thanks for the virtual tour. :)

Shelley Munro said...

It looks like a lovely spot to spend the day walking. The wild flowers are beautiful, too. We don't have wildflowers like that.

Barbara Martin said...

Linda, nothing scary here, except mosquitoes.

Shelley, the wildflowers are plentiful on the prairies and along the wooded creeks and rivers.

G. B. Miller said...

Beautiful pics.

Reminds me what I have to look forward to in a couple of months once spring really hits here in New England.

J. L. Krueger said...

I love coming to you blog to see wild GREEN! I probably miss green the most in the scenery here.

The Panjshir and the mountains to the northeast are pretty green though. Kabul's mountains were denuded a long time ago.

Back home I have a bathroom done in a thistle motif...the national flower of Scotland.

L.A. Mitchell said...

I love the pictures with a path or bridge in them. They seem to tell their own stories and it makes me wonder what's just around the corner I can't see. Thanks for a nature fix, Barbara :)

Barbara Martin said...

G, welcome and thanks for stopping by.

After a long, cold winter I like to look at green scenery in anticipation of the warmer days.

J.L., green vegetation always soothes me. I had an Appendix Quarter Horse mare who would carefully eat thistle after searching it out.

Barbara Martin said...

L.A., everyone needs a nature fix and they can be found here, if only in a virtual reality. I have yet to discover how to transcend the time/space factor to bring visitors the scent and feel via the computer.

BernardL said...

Thank you for the nature fix. Your posts come as close to being there as anyone can get on the Internet. :)

Barbara Martin said...

Bernard, you're very welcome. At least there is no sore feet or legs at the end of these hikes.