Author Archives: Kamloops Kayak

Paddling Red Lake

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Red Lake is a longer drive on backroads so if we go there to paddle we wait for good conditions.    It is also a  popular fishing lake so there can be a lineup to launch or land during prime times.    For this reason I go to an informal launch on the south end of the lake.


A paddle around the entire lake is about 8.4 km so I often paddle about 5 km on either the north or the south end of the lake each time I head up there.

The north end of the lake has a lot of burned forest from the 2021 Sparks Lake Forest Fire.


This year the loop route was on the south end of the lake on a quiet weekday morning.

A Red Lake Page will be added to the website over the winter months.

 

Paddling Campbell Lake

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Campbell Lake is at the end of a long, bumpy road and it can be a busy spot in prime times so I try to paddle it off season.    Over the last few years, there have been pelicans on the lake in late August and much of September so I schedule my time to coincide with their time on the lake.   On a windy September morning I got an early start.

The pelicans are usually in shallow water.   Campbell Lake has a few large shallow bays which boats can’t get through.    A kayak can slowly cross the shallow, aquatic weed-thick water to approach the pelicans, but a long telephoto lens is still needed.

I watched the pelicans then paddled around the lake, spotting a heron, an eagle, some geese, and many ducks.   A paddle around the lake is about 8 km.

It was a windy day with difficult light for photography and videography, but I took some video clips, then flew the drone to put together a video:

The highlight of paddling the lake is to see the pelicans.    I hope to paddle out to them on Kamloops Lake again soon.

A Campbell Lake page will be developed over the winter with detailed information.

Back to Jacko Lake

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Whenever conditions are marginal or time is short, we pick one of four lakes – Jacko Lake, Edith Lake, Stake Lake, or Paul Lake.    The distance to the lakes is shorter, access is good to each lake, and they are enjoyable places to paddle.    On this September morning, it was raining in town, but it was drier up at the lake.

There was no wind and only one other boat on the lake.

Some of the shallow bays were partly grown-in with various aquatic plants, but they were also filled with waterfowl.   In this bay were about 70 coots and dabbling together.

There were 3 pelicans (see the video), a muskrat, two bald eagles, lots of marsh wrens, some mergansers, a gray jay, crows, magpies, and dragonflies.    The lake had dropped since the spring, but it still was a great paddle around the lake.

A few moments on the lake are captured in the video, including 3 pelicans on the water’s edge and then in the air:

More information on paddling this lake will be added over the winter as the Jacko Lake page.

 

Paddling the Roche Lake Marshes

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For some of the larger lakes, we can paddle half of the lake at a time, taking the time to explore the bays and marshy areas.    In the middle of September the paddle was on the north end of Roche Lake.

We can paddle the channels between bulrushes on the north end, then head down the west shore and across to the marshes on the east shore before coming back on the east shore.

Some moments of paddling the lake are captured in a video:

Earlier in the summer we paddled the south end of the lake, launching from the West Campground.    We will be back in the fall to hike the trails.

 

 

In the Paul Lake Mists

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As summer wound down, the nights became cooler and morning mists were starting to shroud the hills around the area.   In an early paddle on Paul Lake, the sun was filtered through the low-hanging clouds.

The lake was calm and quiet with no other boats in sight.

I paddled down past Gibraltar Rock.   Crows, eagles, loons, and a Canada jay were active along the watery way.

For this day, I passed Gibraltar Rock, then crossed over the other side.    There is provincial park lands on the south side of the lake too.

There are many fallen trees on the steeper south shoreline, but also leaning ones, and reflections in the still lakewater.

The paddle for this morning was about 70 minutes, another good day in the outdoors, my 67th day of paddling in 2022.

More information on Paul Lake will be found on the Paul Lake Page, to be completed over the winter months.

Paddling Face Lake

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In mid-September Face Lake was the destination for a morning paddle.    There is no reasonable public launch on the lake so I checked in at the Mile High Lodge, paid a small parking and launch fee, and used the boat launch (parking in the Guest parking area).   The folks at the lodge were again welcoming and wished me well.   I then paddled around the lakeshore.

It is accessed by the Paska Lake Road (paved).   Continue to the end of the road which takes you to the Resort.   Face Lake sits at 5800 feet, at the foot of Chuwhels Mountain.

It is a pleasant 5.8 km kayak around the lake.   With no traffic past the resort, the lake is a quiet spot.


A few moments on the lake are captured in a short video:

This is a recommended lake for paddling in the summer.

 

Paddling Harper Lake

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Harper Lake is located in the hills east of Kamloops.    The Harper Lake Forest Service Road turns off the Trans Canada Highway on the east side of the Neskonlith Indian Reserve, then climbs through the hills, bearing south.


The final 6 km of the road is narrow and bumpy.    There is a BC Rec Site on the northeast side of the lake. A paddle around the lake is about 3.2 km.    On this September day I spotted loons, muskrats, painted turtles, dragonflies and ducks.


The lake is a scenic and quiet spot, perfect for a day of paddling.

 

 

Paddling Heffley Lake

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On a gusty late August morning I got an early start for a paddle on Heffley Lake.   There is a good launch area at the east end of the lake, but it can be a busy spot at prime times so I got an early start.    The area by the launch is protected from the wind by small islands in a narrow part of the lake.


A paddle around the whole lake is about 12.5 km, a longer paddle, and so on this windy day, a more moderate loop down to the narrows and back was a better choice.

There are a series of sheltered bays on the southeast end of the lake that were calmer and very quiet.

The slopes of Mt. Embleton rise up above the north side of the lake.

At the narrows I turned back and had a much easier paddle downwind to the islands on the east end of the lake.


I avoid Heffley Lake at prime times because of the congestion at the launch area, power boats on the lake, and the activity from all of the homes along the north shore of the lake.   In the offseason or early in the morning I was one of two boats on the lake.

More Information – Heffley Lake (page tba)

Paddling Glimpse Lake

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One of the lakes I enjoy paddling every summer is Glimpse Lake.    It is located on the Douglas Lake Plateau (Nicola Lake > Douglas Lake Road > Lauder Road > Glimpse Lake).    The road (91 km from Kamloops) is good all the way to the lake.

There are two Rec Sites on the lake, but the best boat launch is at the northwest corner of the lake.    A paddle around the lakeshore is about 6.2 km.

Video footage was taken on the lake this summer:

This is a quiet out-of-the-way lake that is one of our best paddling destinations for the summer months.

Paddling Monte Lake

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On a hot summer morning I got an early start and drove to Monte Lake.    I use the hand launch area from the Monte Creek Forest Service Road on the north side of the lake.   The lake was calm and I only saw one other boat on a paddle down the lake and back.

There is a boat launch off the highway on the east side of the lake too, but I prefer the informal one on the north end.

Surround the lake is blackened forest from the gigantic 2021 White Rock Forest Fire.  Twenty-eight homes were burned in the fire and the Community of Monte Lake was evacuated.   Recovery efforts are still underway.

A paddle around the shoreline is about 6.7 km, a good workout.    I prefer to paddle down the west side and back on the same side to avoid the highway noise.   The noise is the only drawback.    A good lake to wear earpods while paddling.

Stake Lake Paddle and Giant Firs Hike

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A paddle and hike duathlon was a good choice for a warm summer day.    A paddle around Stake Lake was followed by a hike on the Giant Firs Trail.     The big trees on the trail are a welcome sight in both summer and winter.  

Some moments of both activities are found in this short video:

 

Paddling Peterhope Lake

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Peterhope Lake is accessed by going up a 7.5 km Forest Service Road from the south end of Stump Lake.    There is a BC Rec Site there with camping spots and two boat launches.

A paddle around the lake is about 6 km.   The highlight is a narrow marsh channel which leads to a small lake on the southwest end.

The small lake is away from the campers, fishermen, and private homes on the lake.

It is a quiet spot for ducks and an occasional paddler.

Some video footage of Peterhope Lake is embedded into this post:

 

Paddling Roche Lake South

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On a hot summer morning I drove up to Roche Lake Provincial Park, turning onto the Roche West Road to launch from a spot halfway up the lake.

Roche Lake is a bit larger than most area lakes and a paddle around the whole shoreline is about 10 km but when the weather is hot, a loop on half the lake is a better choice.    On this day I paddled the southern half of the lake.

There was no wind and not many boats on the lake.   There were ducks, eagles, loons, and an osprey on the lake.   At prime times there can be be many boats on the lake and the wildlife finds quieter fishing grounds.

Some video footage showing paddling on the lake is now available on YouTube:

I will be back in the fall to hike the backroads and to paddle the other half of the lake.

 

 

Paddling Morrisey Lake

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Morrisey Lake is a small, shallow lake near McGillivray Lake, east of Sun Peaks.   Access is by the Morrisey Lake Forest Service Road, a bumpy gravel road that only goes to the lake.    There are two small BC Rec Sites, one at either end.    On this summer morning I drove to the far end and did a hand launch onto the lake.

The Morrisey Lake East Rec Site has 3 campsites, but the areas at either site is small and has limited access for parking and launching.    It would be more awkward when the sites are full on summer weekends.   On this morning, the site was not occupied.

A paddle around the lake is about 2 km so kayakers may choose to go around twice.   I paddled McGillivray Lake first (5.2 km) and then Morrisey Lake, another choice for a good day of activity in the area.

 

 

 

 

 

Paddling McGillivray Lake

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McGillivray Lake is located east of Sun Peaks Road by driving on the McGillivray Lake Forest Service Road.  This is a good 5.7 km gravel road.

The best launch spot is at the signed McGillivray Lake Outpost on the northwest corner of the lake.

A paddle around the lakeshore is about 5.2 km.    The shoreline is forested and there are some marshy bays to explore.

On this hot summer morning there was no one else on the lake, but it can be busier at peak times.

From the lake we could see the south-facing runs on the ski hill, just 2.5 km away.    This is a scenic, quiet spot most of the time, worth the drive out to the lake.

Paddling Tunkwa Lake

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Tunkwa Lake is one of the best rainbow trout fishing lakes in the province.   It lies in the grasslands – forest zone to the southwest of Kamloops, accessible on paved roads from Logan Lake.   There are several launch spots on the lake.   On this summer day, I parked at the Day Use area and padded the 7.5 km loop around the shoreline.

The Tremont Forest Fire ran through the area in 2021 and there are many sections of blackened trees around the lake.

There are always lots of birds on the lake.   Flocks of blackbirds were active in all of the marshy areas.

Aquatic plants were filling in the shallow bays.   White water crowfoot, smartweed, and arumleaf arrowhead were in flower.

Some video footage provides a sense of what it is like on the lake:

I will be back to paddle on neighboring Leighton Lake this paddling season.

Day 52 of paddling in 2022.