And just like that, it’s September. This time of year used to be huge for me. The transition from August to September always meant back to school: new things, new faces, new beginnings. I just loved it. This excitement continued through my seven years of university, but when I entered the “real world”, August started slip into September unceremoniously.

This year, I get to feel the excitement all over again. I return to work the day after Labour Day, and although I am returning to an old job, it feels like a new beginning.

I also get to take some time to reflect on what was a really, really awesome summer. Camping in Blomidon and Keji. Family visits in N.B. Catching up with old friends in Ontario. An epic trip to Ireland (which is why I missed last week – sorry, guys!). And too many dogventures to count.

I think it works well that I didn’t get the chance to catch you up on this particular dogventure until now. That’s because, while we visited in the middle of summer, a fall dogventure on this trail would be even better.

The Crowbar Lake Trail is located deep in the woods of Porters Lake. On a hot day in July, this made for a challenging hike, and we did less than half of the full trail. It was fun, fabulous, and deserted (read: very dog-friendly). But we would pick a cooler day next time. Which is why this is such a fantastic trail for a fall hike. The heat wouldn’t be so oppressive, and the colours would be beautiful.

Here is some more information about the Crowbar Lake Trail. The full trail is 9 km long (18 km return). But don’t let the seemingly moderate distance fool you. The rocky pathways and steep inclines take this trail up a few notches. It took us about 1.5 hours to hike 4 km. At that point, we had reached the shore of Granite Lake, where we enjoyed our lunch, and Dallas enjoyed a much-needed swim.

The trail is fairly well-marked, with red metal markers on the trees. There are a few maps along the way, but no kilometre markers. We recommend snapping a photo of the trail map, so you can refer to it as you hike.

Because you won’t reach the first significant body of water, Granite Lake, for quite a while, be sure to bring lots of water, for yourselves and your pooch. You’ll also want to bring some snacks to keep yourself fuelled for this workout.

For more details about the Crowbar Lake Trail, including driving directions to the trailhead, click here.

So while we’re a bit sad that summer is coming to an end, we’re looking forward to all of the amazing fall hikes ahead. Happy Fetch Friday, friends.