The 245th Ave Detour on the Firth Lake segment is a little shorter today. A team surveyed the area and located a route through the woods that cuts off 1/2 mile of road walking, and enables walking 1.4 miles through the woods instead.
Some might think it not a good bargain, and if you prefer, you can just walk on the road. But be warned: the 1.4 mile trail is very scenic, featuring a long boardwalk across a beaver dam that's quite tall to begin with. Other interesting plants seen along the trail include trailing arbutus, with its soft pink flowers with delightful aroma in the spring. In one spot a rather large glacial erratic sits alongside the trail.
One side benefit of the new section: you can now walk a 1.4 mile trail plus 0.5 mile road walk for a 1.9 mile circle hike.
The section is just east of Hwy E.
The road walk from the Hwy E trailhead near Camp Nawakwa to the next trail entrance going east to Firth Lake is 1.82 miles. Follow Hwy E 0.9 mi south to 245th Ave, then east on 245th Ave 0.92 mi to the temporary trail entrance. Download and print the detour route map here.