2019 Alaska Trip - Day 133 - Day Trip Along The Alaska Highway - Liard Hot Springs To Muncho Lake To Toad River

This morning, we moved across the highway to the Liard Hot Springs Lodge campground. It's not our kind of place, but we wanted electric for a night before moving heading down the Cassiar Highway, and I could use the Wi-Fi at the lodge to upload photos and return some emails.

 

 

They assigned us Site 1 nearest the bathrooms and laundry and with the shortest walk to the lodge.

After spending the morning getting all our photos uploaded, the plan was to go on a drive toward Muncho Lake as several people have said it's quite scenic. Since we are not continuing down the Alaska Highway, we thought we'd do a day trip and see what many people call the most scenic section of the ALCAN.

We drove to the northern end of Muncho Lake last night (a little over 30 miles from Liard Hot Springs), but it was dark by the time we arrived. The lake is 7.5 miles long, so the plan was to drive the length of the lake and return. But, as you'll see, we expanded that plan.

Unlike our recent days of bright sunshine, today was overcast.

 

 

Not long after crossing the Liard River bridge, we saw our first Black Bear, and it was a big one.

 

 

 

It was eating clover, and we watched for a few minutes before moving on.

We saw a bear in this area last night, but not this afternoon.

 

 

We've seen so many bison over the years, but it's hard not to stop and take more photos when they're so close to the road. This solitary bull was quite close.

 

 

 

That was it for the wildlife as we entered Muncho Lake Provincial Park.  We stopped at the Muncho Lake overlook where we turned around last night. Without the sunshine, the lake didn't take on its jade color from that angle, but we could imagine how beautiful it would be.

 

 

 

Moving on, we stopped and drove through the MacDonald Campground on the lake. I took photos of a few of the lakeside sites. There isn't a lot of privacy, but who cares?

 

 

 

I didn't realize the Alaska Highway ran right next to the lake.

 

 

 

We also stopped at Strawberry Flats Campground. Even better than MacDonald.

 

 

There's that jade color Munch Lake is known for.

 

 

 

 

Again, the original plan was to drive to Muncho Lake and turn around, but we then decided to keep driving. I chose Toad River as our destination, pretty much doubling the trip.

Here are lots of photos showing that we made the right decision.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coming around a turn, we saw a couple caribou in the road.

 

 

 

We watched as they cross the road and passed by.

 

 

 

Continuing on along the Toad River.

 

 

 

 

We turned around at the Toad River Lodge and headed back. These shots are on the return trip between Toad River and Muncho Lake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just before Muncho Lake, these moose were on the side of the road drinking from the mud puddles that are holding road salt from the snowstorm about three weeks ago.

 

 

 

The calf was quite curious.

 

 

 

Moving on, we saw another bear eating clover along the road.

 

 

 

 

 

We saw four bears in all today, and that made twelve in the last two days.

Getting closer to Liard River, a small bison herd was close to the road.

 

 

 

This one was licking and nudging her calf.

 

 

This one just stared at us with its typical bison indifference.

 

 

And this small, red calf was just lying down munching grass without a care in the world.

 

 

We crossed the Liard River bridge, ....

 

 

and a snapped this last shot.

 

 

I'm glad we made this day trip. We went about 150 miles round-trip and, in my opinion, that drive was more scenic than any drive we did in Alaska. We'll miss the rest of the Alaska Highway going to Dawson Creek, but we're quite satisfied with what we've seen as some have said that the part we saw today is actually the most scenic section. I can't vouch for that, but if there are more beautiful stretches, we'll just have to come back and see those another time.

Tomorrow, we'll backtrack west and take the Cassiar Highway south with a couple of planned stops along the way. Until next time.

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Comments

[Al & Sharon]

You haven't missed much as far a scenery along the Alaska Hwy. You turned around about 120 miles from Ft Nelson. There isn't much to see south of Ft Nelson to Dawson City. Chetwynd is an interesting stop and the drive from there to Prince George is nice. But that is about it for really great mountain scenery.

[Bill]

FWIW, I pretty much agree with the above comment. Glad you made that run down to Toad River. We've been there just as snow was coming on the mountains and the locals were saying "time to leave." But the early fall colors and the lake drive are just spectacular. I see they've finished fixing the lake drive section of the Alcan. Very nice. Maybe again someday. . .