Valley of the Five Lakes

After yesterday's adventure we were ready for a more mild hike, something that would exercise our strained and sore thighs but not add to their distress. Valley of the Five Lakes is a popular trail just 6 miles south of Jasper townsite, so with the weather near ideal (sunny and high in the low 70's, best weather so far in Jasper), the parking lot at the trailhead was full.

The trail goes through forest and meadows to a valley dotted with five small lakes, each a different depth and a different hue of blue-green.

Near the beginning of the trail, we emerged from a light forest to a meadow and a boardwalk that crosses over Wabasso Creek.

We took the trail in the suggested direction, counter-clockwise, which brought us to Fifth Lake first.

Then Fourth Lake,

Third Lake with its different depths showing different shades of blue-green, and

Second Lake (I think. Frankly, just looking at the pictures I can't tell Second, Third or Fourth Lake apart. They are all beautiful.).

Just before you turn back to the parking lot on the lakes loop, there is a 2 km spur that we took along the length of First Lake, a long, string-bean lake with bands of vibrant teal-colored water along both shores.

Since most of the hikers had taken the loop trail back to the parking lot, this part of the hike was more serene.

Our lunch spot on First Lake.

Lovely group of Aspen trees at the end of First Lake.