Buttle Lake Campground Jenn, Pu and I set up at a wonderful quiet campspot at the Buttle Lake Campground in Strathcona Provincial Park [enlarge]

Buttle Lake Campground Trail A shot of the excellently constructed short trails in the Buttle Lake Campground. This one leads from the Campground to the shores of Buttle Lake. [enlarge]

Buttle Lake This beautiful view (albeit a bit marred by the tree stumps in the foreground) is from the very north end of Buttle Lake, looking south. [enlarge]

Dinnertime A shot of us cooking dinner at the Buttle Lake Campground. [enlarge]

Not a puzzle This sign says 'Puzzle Mountain'. However, as near as I can tell, it isn't actually pointing to Puzzle Mountain! Instead, it is pointing to Wolf Mountain. [enlarge]

The Elk River Trail This is the start of the Elk River Trail, one of the very few maintained trails in Strathcona Provincial Park. The trail provides access into one of the most mountainous areas in the park. [enlarge]

Elk River Trailhead sign closeup A closeup of the Elk River Trail's trailhead sign. [enlarge]

Beautiful old-growth trail The Elk River Trail starts off very nicely graded, and wanders through beautiful old-growth forest. [enlarge]

Sun-dappled beauty A view along a particularly sun-dapped stretch of the Elk River Trail. [enlarge]

A wonderful path This shot is taken about a kilometre in from the trailhead. The trail is still a beautiful soft, easy trail. [enlarge]

Well-built switchbacks A shot of some of the well-built switchbacks on a section of the Elk River trail about 1 kilometre in from the trailhead. [enlarge]

courtesy PChen

Root for Pu Pu is quite taken with the roots and stumps he finds on the Elk Lake Trail. Here's the first of many. [enlarge]

Sentinels of the wild Huge, stately old-growth trees stand pillar-like along the Elk River Trail. [enlarge]

Fungus and Footpath Some pretty-looking Mushrooms grow on the ancient trees along the Elk River Trail. [enlarge]

courtesy PChen

Streaky Bark Another of Pu's closeup Stump and Root show. [enlarge]

Colorful Funghi I quite liked the colorful fringes of this growth on this old log. [enlarge]

courtesy PChen

Jagged Profile A neat flat-on view of a jagged tree stump. [enlarge]

Rougher but still pretty Further in, the Elk River trail gets rougher, but still winds through beautiful forest. [enlarge]

courtesy PChen

Pu's view of same Another view of the trail-goes-through-log spot. [enlarge]

courtesy PChen

Andrew takes a break Andrew takes a break along the Elk River Trail. [enlarge]

Bridge on Elk River Trail One of the many footbridges that the Elk River Trail uses to cross side drainages. [enlarge]

A spider's web Taken along the Elk River Trail in Strathcona Provincial Park. [enlarge]

Opening up As we near the end of the Elk River Trail near Landslide Lake, the terrain starts to open up a bit. [enlarge]

Elkhorn from the West A view of Elkhorn Mountain from the Elk River Valley (i.e. a view from the west). [enlarge]

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