Landowner Rights & Trail User Responsibilities

The Waskahegan Trail is a unique resource that exists only because of the generosity of landowners. Before you set foot on the trail:

  1. Know the landowner rights and the trail user responsibilities.
  2. Check the trail conditions

Forecast the weather with this new tool

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Would you like to be better at forecasting the weather for your hiking, picnics, and other outdoor pursuits? So would we!

That’s why we added a new web page called “Forecasting the Weather”. It’s based on Waskahegan member Terry Elrod’s useful and easy-to-use article of the key weather data sites and how to use them. And by weather, we’re talking temperatures, precipitation, air quality—and for the Edmonton region—mosquitos.

Terry’s article has been available on the website for a year, but now the information has a permanent web page. The page includes links to weather data sites that detail current conditions and trends in the vicinity of the Waskahegan Trail. There are also links and commentary on long-range forecasts, five-day forecasts, and real time weather information.

Even Alberta’s weather phone numbers are clickable. That means you can download the web page to your smartphone and call the weather number for Camrose with a single tap—even when you have no internet!

There are two places where can you find the link to this web page from the Home page. Look in the right sidebar under “Resources” or on the navigation submenu under “Hiking”. Or you can always go the search box at the top and type “forecasting the weather”.

Devon Trail Hike Starts the New Year

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Devon’s ravine trails was our first hike of 2020. Fifteen people came out for this established winter favourite. Starting at the parking lot at the river’s edge outside the Lion’s Campground, we walked east along the North Saskatchewan and turned into the ravine. The long walk has steep but manageable climbs. Normally we never see other hikers when we come out here, but this time we met up with two large groups plus a few individuals. Was it New Year’s resolutions to be more active in 2020? Or a desire to work off some of that eating and sitting around over the Christmas break? Probably both.

The trail through the ravine ends at the top on the Pileated Woodpecker Trail. It’s been a few years since we’ve seen a woodpecker here, but the stands of old trees obviously make a perfect home.

Exiting the trail, we walked through the town’s park system until we got to the Dale Fisher Arena, our usual lunch spot. With the hockey tournament going on, it was too crowded to stay inside. Fortunately, it was warming up considerably, and we discovered the bleachers overlooking the skating rink on the west side of the building. It was ideal for our large group.

We resumed our hike on the Trans Canada Trail through the woods above the river. It was a little challenging only because the trail had been groomed for cross country skiing, and we were trying to avoid stepping on the tracks. The hike finished at the river’s edge, where the parking lot was now very crowded.

  • Highbush cranberries
  • Devon Golf Course and ski trails

Thanks to Lee for scouting the hike, and the town of Devon for maintaining such an inviting trail system.

You can find more photos on Flickr.