The Journeyman Lodge
The Journeyman Lodge in Callaghan Valley is a well-known spot for an epic snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and/or backcountry skiing getaway (see our review of the Journeyman Lodge winter experience). Now, the Journeyman Lodge is open on a limited basis for guests during the summer too, available to those who hike in.
Last fall we got a sneak-peak of the summer experience at the Journeyman Lodge. Here’s our recap of a weekend up at the lodge!
Getting to the Lodge
The adventure begins by driving into Callaghan Lake. The drive is about 8 km from the Callaghan Country base on a rough forest service road. The drive in takes about 20 – 30 minutes and a 4×4 vehicle or vehicle with high clearance is recommended.
You park your car at Callaghan Lake and begin the scenic 5.5 km hike.
The Hike
The Journeyman Lodge sits right beside Conflict Lake, a popular hiking destination. The route is 5.5 km and it takes about 2 hours to hike in.
It’s a beautiful hike and it doesn’t have a lot of elevation gain. It gains about 180 m over the 5.5 km, so it’s very gradual. Also, since the lodge has all your bedding and food, you don’t need to hike in a lot of gear.
The hike itself takes you to a beautiful sub-alpine area, full of blueberries and wildflowers in the late summer.
For a detailed report of the hike into the Journeyman Lodge/ Conflict Lake, read or hiking guide for Conflict Lake here.
The Journeyman Lodge
The Lodge itself is billed as ‘rustic-luxe’ and is very comfortable. When we went in the fall, we had bad luck with the weather, and we arrived a tad cold and wet. So it was great it was to arrive at the Journeyman Lodge, greeted with a cheese plate, snacks and hot chocolate, and to be able to warm up by the fire!
After changing out of our gear, we went straight to the incredible handcrafted Scandinavian wood-fired sauna which sits down by a small nearby creek. The sauna is the perfect way to relax and unwind.
After relaxing in the sauna, we went back to the lodge, showered up, and played some pool in the lodge’s recreation room while dinner was prepared for us.
We ate a fantastic meal at dinner, and were ready for a good night’s rest after a busy day!
Final Thoughts
There are other hiking opportunities in the area for those who want to hike some more before leaving. Most commonly, you can hike to Ring Lake before making the trek back down to Callaghan Lake.
The Journeyman Lodge makes a perfect two or three-day hiking trip, where you can also relax, sauna, shower, and be well-fed instead of sleeping in a tent.
It’s a fun and unique experience, and we highly recommend it!
If you’re worried about your backcountry skills, Callaghan Country offers a Backcountry Skills Clinic. And if you’re already looking ahead to the winter, their reservations are open.
Learn more at the Journeyman Lodge’s website.
