When the weather gets hot an option is to drive to the high country (4000 feet+) and paddle one of the lakes, then go for one of the hikes nearby.    On this blue sky hot day, I paddled twice around Stake Lake, then hiked a snowshoe route nearby.   It was an early morning start and winds are usually calm until late morning in our area.   There was no one else on the lake.

We spot western painted turtles in a number of our area lakes, particularly murky lakes with marshy areas.   We were surprised to spot one on the western side of Stake Lake which is a clear-water lake.

Across the Lac le Jeune Road is a series of open marshes and a number of double tracks can be hiked or snowshoed, linked into a loop, although some route-finding is required.    The marsh reeds were starting to turn colour in late summer.

Butterflies were out on wildflowers along the route.    This skipper was spotted on clover.

A swampy area in the forest was surrounded by rushes and reeds.

There were lots of late-summer flowers, mostly taller varieties, but a few low-growing wildflowers like self-heal (prunella vulgaris) could be spotted with careful observation.

Going into the high country offers some relief from the hot summer sun, especially if combined with an early start and a forested route.   Paddling and hiking in the middle of the day in open areas is best left to shoulder seasons.