With my spring camping trip this year being a bust, I still had the urge to head out into the wild. I was really keen on seeing Crooked Bush this year too so, when I looked at the map, I saw a little regional park near by that sounded perfect: Redberry Lake Regional Park. What made this sound so great was that it’s located at Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve which is an area of importance for migrating birds. So, my mom and I packed the trailer with blankets and heaters and we headed out!
Thoughts on the campground: It’s a very well taken care of park. Even in the fall, everything was mown and clean. Unfortunately, most sites are seasonal and the grounds were littered with trailers and RVs which would be fine in the summer, but rather jarring in the fall when they’re all empty. I also found it weird that although the park was supposed to be open until September 30th, they were planning a water shut off a week early – something that wasn’t announced on the website.
Our jaunt to the hilariously spooky Crooked Bush is covered in an earlier post. On returning to our campsite, I decided to wander around the Millenium Point trail before it got too dark. It’s a fairly short trail that runs from the main gate/concession/beach area, past the campsites to Millennium Point which is the little lighthouse near the dock. The trail is quite beautiful and covered in trees covered in red berries, hence the name of the lake. All kinds of berries can be found including buffalo berries, Saskatoon berries, and choke cherries. As I walked through the trail, I reached a point where the trail became unclear in the direction I should have been going, but it wasn’t a total loss as the new trail (which wasn’t on any map I saw) took me up a hill where I was able to watch the birds flying over the lake as the sun set. The colours of the autumn trees as the sun went down was truely breathtaking! On my way back, I did hear a strange grunting and pawing at the ground. I normally pause and look around when I hear strange noises while hiking, but something told me not to this time. According to the park supervisor we talked to the next day, it was likely a bear! It’s crazy to think of them being so far south in the province, but they do get black bears in the park so, tread carefully! Even on our second night, we heard some rather strange noises coming from the bushes near the trailer; this is their territory!
The next morning, we spent a bit of time driving around the park getting to know the area more. Redberry Lake is actually a bit saline (their website says 3.5% although a trail sign said 2.1%) so, if you want to fish, a rather larger pond stocked with trout is available. I’m sad to say that as of today, I still have not caught a single fish in my life, but it’s fun trying. And the trout pond definitely wasn’t a bust. The pond is full of birds, muskrats, and even beavers!
After dinner, I finally got out on the lake for a paddle. Unfortunately, it was a bit windier than I anticipated and with a small 10′ kayak, I was getting beaten around too much for my abilities. The small section of the north part of the lake that I explored was quite lovely and peaceful. But on our last morning, the weather was so calm so, I tried again. This time, I started from the beach and headed south along the shore. The water was so clear, but so strange. There’s almost nothing in the lake other than a few pockets of seaweed here and there. I assume it’s due to the salinity, but it’s still quite eerie to look at.
The best thing about the trip was the peace. Spending mornings in my hammock with a cup of tea, listening to the migrating geese and pelicans as the sun grew warmer and warmer was sheer bliss. Or standing in the middle of the grounds at night and looking up at the Milky Way surrounded by so many stars that you never see unless you’re far from the city is incredibly humbling. It’s been a rough year with no signs of relenting, but being surrounded by nature in all its glory was so refreshing. I can’t wait until my next adventure!