Take a Hike | Caribou Ridge

Two weeks ago, Kyle and I attempted to go snowshoeing out by Beauty Bay. Much to our dismay, there wasn't enough snow so we decided to just hike instead.We followed Highway 97 from the Wolf Lodge exit, drove by Mineral Ridge and eventually arrived at the Beauty Creek campground and Caribou Ridge. This small but pretty campground is tucked away off the highway. With just a few spaces it's very quiet and secluded, aside from the humming of distant snowmobilers.We let Juneau off of her leash to see if she could be trusted not to run off, you never know with a 1-year-old pup. Luckily she was awesome, stuck close by and waited for us if she wandered too far ahead.It's about an 8 mi. hike round-trip, although we didn't go the full distance because we started losing light. We (Kyle actually) spotted a couple elk off in the distance and we heard birds chirping everywhere. Because the trail leads away from the water, we didn't see any eagles or water fowl, but I imagine there's a lot more wildlife in the warmer months.I highly suggest this hike for anyone wanting to get out without traveling too far. The trail was pretty narrow in some spots and there was at least one down tree, so do be prepared for some obstacles. I definitely want to go back in the spring and do the entire hike. So beautiful.Now, go take a hike!