The upper end of the Lac du Bois Grasslands offers access for open forest and grassland slope snowshoeing in winter.    There is a large parking area next to a forestry kiosk right before the McQueen Lake fence.   It is best to park there and walk back to the edge of the forest 200 m south since the Lac du Bois Road is busy with logging trucks every day this winter.  The area on the east side is Nature Conservancy of Canada land, but it is fine for hikers or snowshoers to respectfully access the grassland slopes, aspen forests, ponds, and glaciated terrain of the area (more information).

We followed an old double track past an old homestead then aimed southeast onto the lopes of Sagittata Hill.

At the upper ridge on the corner of Sagittata Hill (at 1002m elevation), we had fine views south and southeast.   Long Lake could be been in the bottom of the trench 2.5 km away and 270 m (886 ft) lower in elevation.

Directly east is the Batchelor Range with Strawberry Hill across the North Thompson River Valley.   The black and white late winter days will soon give way to an early spring melt.

The snow was heavy in the meadows and the ice on the ponds was starting to melt so we angled our way back through open aspen forests for a 5.4 km loop.   This area is worth several visits in the year.   By the end of March the snows will be gone in the open areas and the first grasses will start to emerge.   Buds will swell on the trees and birds will return to the upper grasslands, another fine time for a hike on the Stony Lake Loop.