We’d hoped to tackle the Lion’s Head Trail today, but — as seems to be the theme here — you have to book a parking slot. The earliest we could snag was 3:30pm, which actually worked out well since I had a virtual follow‑up with the occupational therapist about my thumb in the late morning. Good news there: steady improvement, more exercises to work on, and slowly reducing how often I need the splint.
The hike to the Lion’s Head viewpoint wasn’t steep, but it was definitely demanding thanks to the endless roots and rocks. You spent most of the walk staring at your feet instead of the forest, picking your way along a trail that twisted through thick woods before suddenly emerging onto the dramatic, overhanging cliffs of the headland. The payoff was spectacular — turquoise water, bright white rock walls, and a horizon that seemed to stretch forever across the lake. The loop was about 8km, but with all the scrambling it felt like much more.
On the way back, we decided to check out Devil’s Monument, supposedly a larger inland version of the flowerpot stacks. There’s a small parking lot about a 20‑minute walk from the site, but it’s usually packed during the day. Since it was pushing 7:30pm, we figured we’d have better luck. The narrow, winding road to the lot was empty, and when we arrived there was only one other car. With dusk closing in, we headed down the trail — passing a very fresh, very large pile of bear doo‑doo, which prompted us to keep up a steady stream of conversation.
The monument itself wasn’t particularly impressive, mostly because it’s tucked inland among trees, making it hard to appreciate the contrast between the wide top and the skinny base. But the multiple staircases leading down to a gorgeous, empty beach were absolutely worth the detour. With the light fading fast, we climbed back up, returned to the car without any bear encounters, and made our way back to the campsite.
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