"A great homebase for exploration!" a Hinton Travel Page by kymbanm

I chose Hinton from a map as a place to stop for the night. It looked like it was near a few locations I thought I might like to explore, and is only 1 hour from Jasper National Park. I was not disappointed in the least! As a matter of fact, I stayed an extra night in order to take time to explore the region a bit more!

Though not yet in the VT database, Grande Cache was my goal for my day of exploring the region. I wanted to go to one of the staging areas for the Willmore Wilderness area. I was quite excited to be this close to someplace I'd only read about, and never thought I'd have a chance to see for myself ....

Leaving Hinton on Hwy 16, I took Hwy40 north into Wm Switzer park and wandered about.To check out what I found, just check into my 'off the beaten path' tips :)

As I traveled through the Alberta Province, I was pleased and delighted with the help I received at the various visitor centers I took the time to wander into.

This particular center went above and beyond! They not only helped me plan an itinerary for my day of local exploration up into the Willmore, but the next day they helped me plan a detailed itinerary into Jasper and Banff ... including helping me decide which features to pass on, and which ones to explore more fully. Getting this information from locals was a Godsend! They helped me with my timing, and hand drew maps for me to find locations not so well visited by typical travelers .... I can't even begin to express my appreciation and gratitude at their help. Without these folks, my visit to Jasper and Banff would not have been so jam packed and amazing :)