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Heart Creek Trail was the first trail we completed in 2020. This trail was completed with me, my wife, and our friend Jennie and her kids. We head out on the trail on June 14, 2020 and the weather was decent. This is a very good trail for beginners as there isn't much of a significant incline or decline and change in elevation is done over a long period of time to the point where one doesn't notice it as much. As this trail is known for being family friendly, it is extremely busy. This becomes obvious from the moment one pulls off the highway to park. Typically speaking, the trailhead parking lot fills up early, with many having to park on the side of the road off the highway that goes up to the trailhead. Expect to walk up the hill to the trailhead to get going. That said, with access directly off of Highway 1, it is easy to get to.
When we started the trail, we noted that the footing was solid soil with some stones in it. There was a brief period where you walked parallel to the highway. It was here where you could look through the trees and see the mountains on the north side of the Trans Canada. After some time, the trail turns right. If you miss the turn, you will end up on more difficult hikes, including Heart Mountain, which will require more ability than you signed up for when tackling Heart Creek Trail. The good news is that Heart Creek Trail is so busy it is hard to get lost as there will be several other people on the trail. After the trail turns right, you follow the creek into the mountains.
There are periods of inclines with the ground changing to larger rocks at times, and a need to cross the creek off and on. Don't worry, you do not need to put your feet in the water to cross! The elevation change itself is spread over the hike where you really do not notice it. The sights are okay, with nothing to write home about. You spend most of the time surrounded by taller sides of mountains around you. At the end there is some spot where many people stop for a bite to eat before turning around and heading back. You can also take that moment to step into the creek if you want.
Ultimately, the trail is relatively simple and requires no real physical fitness to complete. This trail is actually considered easy even by people in poor physical shape, but it is a good introductory hike to see if hiking is something you would like to pursue further. Just remember that the views are not going to be much to write home about with little payoff at the end of the trail. Don’t get your hopes up too much and remember other trails have much nicer views.
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