“I don’t ride my bike to win races, nor do I ride to get places. I ride to feel free. To be me. To find my limit and break it.” This is one of my favorite quotes, I even had a T-shirt made with it on it. And it perfectly describes my motivation for riding the Grey Owl’s trail year after year. I’m not riding this trail to PR, to win or to break any records. I ride it to feel free, to find my limit, year after year, and break it. And every year this ride definitely finds my limit!
Grey Owl’s cabin is the halfway mark of this ride. The full trail is 40 kilometres, 20 out to the cabin and then 20 back. There are campsites along the way, and it is a rite of passage for many hikers, trail runners, backpackers and, yes, cyclists. Located in Prince Albert National Park, this cabin has historical significance as the man known as “Grey Owl” lived to get further away from civilization and more in tune with nature.
And I can definitely relate to that line of thinking (although I currently live in Warman, so I don’t relate enough to do what he did). But his desire to be away from the hustle and bustle of modern life, his passion for self sustainability and living in harmony with nature rather than against it, is a very relatable way of living!
The Group: A Shared Journey
This was my 6th time doing this ride. As you can see from the comparison picture, I was blissfully unaware of what I was in for the first time I rode this trail! My 6th time I appear much more “aware”…
The first time I was tagging along with a group, but since then I’ve been the one organizing and leading each ride. This year was our biggest group yet! We had 12 riders show up! There was a range of skills and fitness levels, men and women. Some had ridden this trail before, others it was their first time.
As we all started getting ready in the parking lot at the trailhead, spirits were high. The temperature was chilly, but not bad. We started to get to know each other as we all waited for everyone to be ready. Everyone got lights? A warm jacket? Water? Cell phone service was behind us
and our only connection to the “outside world” was our Garmin inReach devices. We discussed who had spare tubes, who had pumps and tools, and so on.
Riding together on an adventure like this is a great way to get to know each other quickly. And it’s a great way to bond over a shared experience and love for bikes. And everyone was in for a great experience!
The Beginning: The Calm Before the Challenge
And the ride started as we all spread out in single line fashion, following the tire in front and leading the tire behind. The Grey Owl’s trail quickly dives straight into a forest of tall trees, a mix of both coniferous and deciduous, the former of which had left the trail covered in a carpet of yellow and orange leaves. Leaves that, at times, covered the numerous roots that we would all soon grow to look at with disdain. It made the trail look a lot more pleasant than it actually was.
The first few kilometers of the trail quickly set the tone, riddled with some of the densest roots we’d encounter all day. Within minutes, it became clear why everyone who’d tackled this trail spoke of “relentless roots.” There was no option to relax—you had to stay poised, constantly shifting and absorbing the unyielding bumps. Almost immediately, we also faced the first of many downed trees across the trail. Then another, and another. I couldn’t shake a sense of dread about what this pattern might mean for the rest of our ride. On the return, some riders counted: 92 times we had to lift our bikes over fallen trees. That was a lot more than we’d anticipated, making an already tough ride even harder!
The Heart of the Ride: Battling the Trail
As the trail stretched on, the group naturally began to spread out, with the faster riders setting a pace the rest of us were more than happy to let go. Our first big stop came at the Chipewyan Portage campsite, about 7 km in. We dropped our bags, pulled on warm, dry jackets, grabbed some snacks, and settled in to enjoy each other’s company. By this point, we had a sense of what we were up against. The trail meant business. But the beauty of the forest, the lake, and the rugged path kept our spirits up. The conversation flowed, light and easy, even as we knew we hadn’t come for this stop alone. After a brief break, we geared up again, ready for the next stretch of the ride.
Our next stop came at the Sandy Beach campsite, now about 13 km in. By this point, fatigue was setting in, and the reality of the trail’s demands was hitting hard. Muscles ached, and spirits were flagging. One rider decided to turn back here—a tough call but a wise one. Knowing your limits on this trail is essential; with an out-and-back route, it’s easy to push yourself too far without realizing it. It takes real courage to recognize when it’s time to turn around. The hardest part, though, was knowing we’d have no contact with them for the next four hours, no way to know for sure they were okay.
Leaving Sandy Beach behind, we faced one of the most technical sections of the trail. It was a rough 4 km stretch of rock gardens, tight corners, and endless roots—a true test of endurance and definitely my least favorite part of the trail. But getting through it brought us to Northend, around 17 km from the start. Reaching Northend always feels like a victory for me and brings a surge of confidence, the thought that maybe I can make it all the way afterall. This final stop before the cabin is a welcome sight, with a beautiful sandy beach stretching wide along the shore, lifting our spirits even though we know there’s still a long way to go.
The Reward: Reaching Grey Owl’s Cabin
After a quick break, we set out on the final stretch to the cabin. The trail starts with a scenic ride along the beach before turning inland, where it crosses over to Ajawaan Lake and Grey Owl’s cabin. Here, we faced the longest climb of the ride, followed by some technical stretches that kept us on our toes. But after just under 3 km, we finally reached the cabin—mission half-accomplished! We paused to check in on ourselves, taking stock of any aches and bruises. One rider had a spill just before we arrived but thankfully seemed okay. We snacked, rehydrated, and took some Advil before exploring the historic cabins. We signed the guest book, snapped plenty of pictures, and soaked in the sense of accomplishment. Yet, with the sun slowly sinking, we knew our journey was far from over—we’d have to retrace every tough kilometer on the way back, this time racing against the daylight.
An excerpt from Parks Canada:
“At the site, there are two cabins. The main cabin on the shoreline was built in 1931. The upper cabin was built in 1932 for Anahareo, their daughter Shirley Dawn, and visitors. Grey Owl, Anahareo and Shirley Dawn are buried adjacent to the upper cabin in a small graveyard overlooking Ajawaan Lake.The trip to Grey Owl’s cabin is much more than a hike. It is a pilgrimage that may bring you closer to Grey Owl’s message of conservation. Take some time to reflect on his efforts to reach a society which, year after year, moved further from nature.
May your visit to this wilderness sanctuary help your understanding of this man and the message of wilderness preservation.”
“Remember you belong to Nature, not it to you” – Grey Owl
The Ride Back: Tested by the Trail
The return ride is often the hardest part. Fatigue starts to set in, soreness becomes constant, and hunger kicks in harder. This is when you truly find out if your snack choices were right, if you packed enough water, or if you should’ve taken that Advil earlier! With the goal of the cabin behind us, we turned back, bracing ourselves for the demanding trek. The one upside of the return stretch is that the sections seem to pass a bit quicker than they did on the way out. Maybe it’s just me, but each stopping point somehow seems to arrive a little faster on the way back.
Despite that sense of faster progress, the return ride is very hard—an understatement, really. We shared snacks, electrolyte tablets, and Advil with anyone needing an extra boost. A few riders kicked into “turbo mode,” cruising back with speed and determination. Those of us in the rear took it a bit slower, but our stops were brief and infrequent as the sun crept lower, urging us onward.
By the end, our group was spread out by about an hour. The fastest riders reached the parking lot just before dark, while those of us at the back rode the final stretch by headlamp. Not everyone was thrilled about riding in the dark, but I always find it oddly enjoyable. The forest feels even quieter, deeper, and more mysterious. Only seeing the trail 20 feet ahead adds a whole new layer of challenge and adventure, making the experience that much more unforgettable.
Conclusion: A Journey Worth Taking
Riding the Grey Owl’s trail is punishing, yet hugely rewarding. Many that come with me have never ridden it again. Some have done it twice. But only a couple have done this more than that. It’s such a beautiful trail and it really should be a bucket list ride, even if you only do it once.
And if you are going to ride it, then doing so with a good group of riders like we had on this trip is the way to go! There’s something about the bonding over suffering that makes it an even more memorable experience.
If you enjoy trail riding, like to find your limit and break it, then be sure to sign up for this ride again next October when we embark yet again on another beautiful, satisfying sufferfest.
