Grasslands West Block Part 2

So much hiking to do there. The first one was called Two Trees…I don’t know why.

Grasslands National Park West Block - Linda on another trail
Linda and Hector at the beginning of the hike.

We found that at the Two Trees location had two trails. The Two Trees trail and the Riverside trail. We hiked them both – so different from each other too. The Two Trees trail led us up through grass fields to a lookout for an overview of the rolling grassy landscape.

Grasslands National Park West Block - Hector and Linda at the bench
Linda with treats for Hector.

The Riverside trail follows the Frenchman River a little and shows what a riparian area looks like in the prairies. For some reason neither of us took photos during that hike. I think it was just beautiful views but none really photo worthy.

Grasslands National Park West Block - 70 Mile Butte Linda and Hector
Linda and Hector on top of the 70 Mile Butte.

One of the workers at the visitor centre had told Linda that the 70 Mile Butte was a must do if a person likes hikes. It is a moderately steep climb and the views from the top are terrific.

Grasslands National Park West Block - 70 Mile Butte Pano
A panorama from the top. Lots to see from the west side of Grasslands National Park West Block.

The 70 Mile Butte was a midway point for the Northwest Mounted Police between Wood Mountain and the Eastend Point. Oddly the Eastend is west of the Butte.

Grasslands National Park West Block - View from the 70 Mile Butte
Another view from the Butte.

The trailhead for the 70 Mile Butte is from the Eagle Butte trail so we also hiked that.

Grasslands National Park West Block - Linda on top of the Butte
On top of Eagle Butte.

It was an easy way down 70 Mile Butte and at the junction of the trails we had to go up Eagle Butte. We were there anyhow, so why not.

Grasslands National Park West Block - Selfe on the Butte
Our Selfie.

On the trip up to Eagle Butte we saw a deer and her fawn. So lovely but they were a little too far to get a decent photo. They were comfortable enough to not care about us.

Grasslands National Park West Block - 70 Mile Butte View 2
Just another view.

The prairies, if one chooses to explore, are not flat!

Grasslands National Park West Block -70 Mile Butte view
The photos can’t do justice to the views from the top of the buttes. Like the great skies of Saskatchewan the great valleys are spectacular and huge.
Grasslands National Park West Block - Lunch after a hike
Post hike late lunch. Linda made a delicious mushroom and broccoli omelette.

We left the next day for Grasslands East Block. There are two ways to go from the West Block to the East Block. The gravel road is a little shorter but slower than the paved roads we did last time. Two years ago we had to return 30km back to Val Marie because we didn’t have enough fuel. This time we’d fuel up when we did the hikes; thus we took the grave road… East block next.

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