Little Shuswap Lake clears of ice early and has good launches and parking spots so it makes a nice spring paddle. I launched from the boat launch ramp by the Chase Bridge where the lake empties into the South Thompson River. I was surprised to find a number of kayakers there, but I spoke to one of the instructors and found out that it was part of TRU’s Adventure Tourism program. I launched and paddled northeast to the north side of the lake.
The north side of the lake has steep rocky bluffs for much of the length of the route, though a dead-end road comes from either end to support vacation homes. I paddled up the lake for an hour and then turned back.
There were a few ducks and geese on the lake, like this common merganser.
There is quite a lot of shallow water on the west side of the lake so I steered down the navigation tunnel to the Chase Bridge to finish an 8 km paddle on a sunny morning.
Although the ice on Paul Lake started to disappear on April 6th, colder weather delayed the first paddle on the lake to April 19th. The main park gate stays closed until mid-May so I drove to the west end of the lake and used the hand launch there. I paddled up the lake to the campground, crossed to the south shoreline, and then paddled back, a total of 7.6 km.
There was no wind at the start and the sun was still in the east as I paddled up the lake.
Ducks were nesting in small bays near logs as I continued up the lake.
There were barrows golden-eyes, mallards, ducks, geese, and on the lake.
I crossed the lake near the campground and found that there was now a 10 km wind out of the west for the paddle back.
Gibraltar Rock is the main feature of the lake.
At the trailhead/launch area an osprey was staking out a nest for the spring.
I plan to return to Paul Lake to do a loop on the east side, launching from the beach area. Although I have paddled the whole lake in one outing, it is over 12 km so most years I complete the lake in two separate days.
Inks Lake is a small, muddy lake close to town. I enjoy paddling on the lake in spring, usually doing 2 loops, a total of 4.9 km. There are two back channels, one of which is hidden behind a hill. It is rare to see another boat on the lake, but there are many ducks, geese, and shoreline birds to enjoy.
There were some blackbirds on the back channels
A narrow channel connects the main lake to the two back channels.
There were lots of ducks on the lake, including this male mallard.
The back channel is a good spot to paddle on a windy day.
There were lots of Barrow’s golden eye ducks on the lake.
The Inks Lakes are just one more paddling destination among about 100 in the area. A list of the upcoming spots to be paddled are noted in a widget on the sidebar.
I padded Trapp Lake on April 12th. It is a personal favorite with the only drawback of the highway traffic. It has good parking, a good hand launch and provides scenic paddling. It is best to go in the morning before the late morning winds start.
Along the eastern shoreline there was some wildlife, like this coyote:
Farther along was a herd of deer.
There were thousands of ducks, some geese, an eagle, killdeer, some marsh wrens, and some blackbirds.
I particularly like the north end of the lake.
A paddle of the perimeter of the lake is 8 km, a good 2 hour effort.
At this time of year, there is good paddling on Trapp, Stump, and Nicola Lake. The higher lakes will become ice-free soon.
I drove backroads all the way to Ross Moore Lake, something I do every year. The date has to be after the roads dry out so we make the trip sometime between June and September. It takes about an hour to get to the lakeshore, making all the right turns on the many forested backroads in a remote area. The first part of the drive is through the scenic Long Lake Hills.
There is a small recreation site on the southeast corner of the lake with a good boat launch area. I launched the kayak and then paddled 3.2 km around the lakeshore. In some years, I go around the lake twice.
A late morning breeze brought a chop to the lake, but the winds also cleared out the low-hanging clouds.
The Rocky Mountain Rangers cabins on the north shoreline were closed up for a Covid year.
When the lake was dammed it flooded some swampy areas in bays and the snags are still standing
There were some sandhill cranes on the shoreline. I drifted in as close as they would allow to get some photos.
On the way back I turned onto the McConnell Forest Service Road to make a loop route, stopping at the Bute Lakes to take a short hike in and back out. The small lakes are at their best in late spring. I plan to return in early June next year.
More Information (inc. maps and driving directions):
As winter approaches cold and windy conditions limit the number of times we can paddle on the lakes and rivers, so if an opportunity arises, I load up the kayak and head out. In late October, the day was still quite cool and my time was limited so I chose to paddle on Inks Lake. A paddle of the shoreline, including the channels is 2.5 km so I usually go around twice.
Some blue sky here and there, a variety of clouds, and intermittent sun with little wind provided the right light for a scenic paddle.
Grassland hills reflected in the lake’s surface. When it is like that it is nice to float before resuming the paddling stroke.
There were lots of ducks (Barrow’s golden eyes and mallards) in the back bays, hidden from roads. The final section was a paddle down the shoreline towards the sun, breaking through layers of clouds. I keep the outings short since the cold air and colder water has a chilling effect. The lakeshore was very muddy making it awkward to launch and land. Good paddling boots helped to protect my feet from the cold, muddy water, but i was happy to rig the boat and change my shoes.
This was Day 63 of paddling in 2020. I hope to find a handful of days yet before putting away the kayak for another year.
At the end of the paddling season it becomes more difficult to paddle on the lakes at higher locations so I turn to a small selection of lower elevation lakes and the south Thompson River, mostly launching from Pioneer Park. By mid-October there are rarely any boats on the water, but the boat launch provides easy access to the river.
I paddled upriver following the south bank. On top of a nesting stand on a pole was a great blue heron watching over the river.
With little wind the old poles for the yacht club were reflected in the still waters of the river.
I paddled upstream past the soon-to-be-gone Jack Gregson Trail and then turned back, enjoying the easier paddling of downriver flows.
In early spring the first days of paddling (Mar. 16 this year) are on the river. The lakes are not ice-free until April. The last days of the are also mostly n the river. The section of river from Pioneer Park up to Valleyview and back is the best choice when the weather and the water chills. Proper gear helps then steadily paddling for a good workout makes it still worthwhile. The last day will be in early November this year, the end of 8 months of paddling.
Edith Lake is close to town, providing quick access, but it can be a busy place for fishermen and campers. For this reason we usually paddle the lake in the off-season. On a cool and windy October day, I launched my kayak into the headwinds for two loops around the lake.
There is a long arm of the lake that was partly sheltered from the winds. The lake is shallower there so fishermen don’t often venture that way.
A side arm was completely protected from winds.
Twice around the lakeshore is about 7 km, a good outing for fall paddling.
This was Day 61 of paddling in 2020. A handful of days were left as the temperatures dropped and windy days followed.
On a mild early October day I paddled Tunkwa Lake, one of the best paddling day of 2020. Partly-sunny skies and light winds are always a blessing when kayaking in the high country.
There are campgrounds and some private homes on the east and south sides of the lake, but the west side of the lake has pasture land, Parks lands, and some open forests.
In the west the forested slopes of Forge Mountain rise to 1978m.
On a snag overlooking a back channel a bald eagle watched over the area. watching for its next meal, unconcerned about the kayak right below.
On a stump on the west shore a northern harrier rested from its patrols over the grasslands.
tOn a branch on the northwest side of the lake a redtailed hawk perched, ready to take flight.
There were also lots of ducks and small birds to watch along the way. The paddle around the lake is about 7.5 km, a perfect outing for a fall day.
In late summer the pelicans start their migration south, stopping for a few weeks in our area’s lakes or rivers. I expect to see them in Campbell Lake in August or September so I plan ahead to paddle with the pelicans.
Unfortunately the wind forecast was wrong and I battled stronger winds out of the west as I paddled the shoreline. The flock of pelicans usually hangs out in a large shallow bay on the southeast corner of the lake.
As I paddled the shoreline, some of the pelicans took to the air, doing a circuit of the lake.
The bay is shallow and muddy so boats can’t get very close to the flock, so I drifted in with only enough water to get back out and used a telephoto lens.
Another group flew across the lake.
The main group stayed in the shallows, mostly grooming themselves.
I paddled on and spotted some geese, two sandhill cranes, some ducks and a heron. A few more pelicans cruised overhead on the way back.
Taking photos from a kayak on a windy day is not easy; it is hard to get crisp shots. A long telephoto lens is needed with a tripod, but that is not compatible with a kayak, both hands on the paddle, and a boat rocking in the wind. Each day is an adventure and we just get the photos that we can. Paddling with pelicans is a treat we look forward to each year.
On a smoky day I drove up into the hills to look for a smaller lake to paddle, then go for a short hike. I chose Pat (Six Mile) Lake. Access is on a rough road that turns off the Trans Canada Highway just west of Tobiano. the old double track was once the highway and a bit of the asphalt is still on the road, but the road is mostly potholes now. Both Pat Lake and Morgan Lake were dammed and the expanded lakes cover the old paved track. I parked at the east end of Pat Lake and paddled around the lake.
The shallow boat launch is actually the old road bed.
The west end of Pat Lake is marshy. Most of the ducks were in the shoreline reeds and rushes.
Although the sky was smoky, the hills reflected in the lake on a calm day.
I paddled the lakeshore and then turned the kayak and paddled back the other way for a 4 km workout.
Fishermen were on the lake. It is one of the first lakes to open in spring and it is stocked by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C.
After paddling and reloading the boat I went for a short hike on backroads. The end of summer dry grasses and ponderosa pines dominated the landscape.
Pat Lake was one more lake in a season of paddling. This was day 55 of 66 days of paddling in 2020. Some lakes are paddled every year, some are every 2nd or 3rd year and a few are first time or last time paddles.
In mid-September we drove to Blue River, then followed the Murtle Lake Forest Service Road to the end of the road. We loaded our gear into portage packs and into the kayaks and fastened the boats to kayak carts, then portaged 2.5 km to the Murtle Lagoon. At the launch, we reloaded the hatches and paddled west. The original plan was to turn north and paddle 8.5 km up to the Strait Creek Campground. On Day 2 we would hike to Wavy Crest Peak. On Days 2 – 5 we would paddle down the west arm and back. Smoke was forecast to arrive on Day 2, so we abandoned the hike and paddled west first.
With a 3 hour drive followed by loading the boats and packs, then a 1.5 hour portage, we got a later start and paddled through the lagoon out to Murtle Lake. At the mouth of the lagoon are two campsites, each on a beach. We had a 10 km headwind and some cloudy-smoky skies.
It takes about an hour to paddle across the wide bay/space to Sandy Point. On our right was, the Wavy Range (part of the Cariboo Mountains) rises above Strait Lake and the north arm of Murtle Lake.
With windy conditions and some in the paddling group struggling with a longer paddle, it took 3 hours to get to the area near Leo Island. We knew the lake well from having paddled it several times. We had planned to camp in one of the 5 campgrounds in the area. Some were full so we picked one that had lots of space. We landed at Birch Beach and set up camp.
The sun lasted to about dinner time before disappearing behind clouds and smoke.
On the second day, we paddled to the west and explored the lake (another post to come). The smoke continued to worsen by the end of the second day so we decided to paddle out on the third day. The sun could be seen through the smoke in the morning.
We paddled east to Fairyslipper Island on a calm day.
This small island has golden sand beaches so I stopped to explore it.
The paddle back to the Lagoon only took 2 hours in calm conditions. We left Ladyslipper Island and paddled across two wide bays to the lagoon.
Getting the loading done right, balancing of the boat on the cart, the ties done properly, and using a good portage pack can make the portage much easier. We passed a number of people struggling with too much weight in the boat, ties coming loose, and the challenging pull. We had been in to Murtle Lake quite a few times so we have established some practices that help us (article).
It was unfortunate that the smoke came in, but we had enjoyable paddling on the lake and so we will return again.
Nicola is a large, windy, and busy lake so we paddle it at strategic times. There are 3 launch areas on the east shore of the lake and of the three, we enjoy the north end of the lake the most. Another fine paddling area is along the west shoreline, south from Monck Park. There are several launch spots in the park. We chose one on a small beach at the southern edge of the campground.
Over 3 days we paddled the shoreline and on one afternoon we had a calm waters, with a textured sky above.
To the north of Monck Park are a series of homes along the shoreline. There were a number of personal watercraft and larger power boats in that area, with the usual noise and wakes, okay for a few minutes, but not peaceful.
There are no homes on the steep shoreline to the south of Monck. Open hilly slopes rise above the lake and there were few other boats in that area.
Rocky bluffs rise up from the lake at various points.
After the last bluff, a large bay leads to the Harmon Estates development, a good place to turn around, but this route still providing a 10 km paddle.
An osprey watched over the lake as I paddled by.
Rising above the west shore of Nicola Lake are rocky bluffs on an unnamed mountain. Although there are no trails to the top, it would appear we could hike up to the northeast side of the mountain and traverse to the top of the cliffs. That will be another day.
On the way out and back were a number of birds – a loon, spotted sandpapers, a bald eagle, a merganser, a kingfisher, a woodpecker, butterflies and dragonflies, and some small forest birds, all keeping me company along the shoreline.
I paddle the river early in the season, then as the ice comes off the lakes, I paddle the lower lakes like Jacko Lake, Paul Lake, Pat Lake, and Trapp Lake. As the weather warms I do a circuit of lakes which usually includes Stump Lake, Roche lake, Bleeker Lake, Scuitto Lake, Campbell Lake, Lac le Jeune, Stake Lake, Pass Lake, McConnell Lake, Walloper Lake, Paska Lake, Surrey Lake, Niskonith Lake, McGillivray Lake, Heffley Lake, Nicola Lake, Badger Lake, Knouff Lake, Pinantan Lake, Peterhope Lake, Glimpse Lake, East Barriere Lake, White Lake, Little Shuswap Lake, Red Lake, Shumway Lake, and others. there are another large number of smaller lakes that I paddle once in a while. A complete map of area lakes with links to articles can be found here (Kamloops Area Paddling Spots).
There are some lakes that I do more often, mostly because they are easy to get to and don’t have power boats or too many fishermen. Stake Lake, Lac le Jeune, and Jacko Lake see many return visits. Jacko Lake is a 4.2 km paddle around the shoreline and I usually do the lake twice for a longer workout. An early morning start on a weekday is the best choice for Jacko since it is a popular fishing spot.
On a calm morning the golden hills reflect in the still waters of the lake.
Jacko Lake is fed and is drained by Peterson Creek. It is surrounded by ranchlands.
A calm day on Jacko is like gliding through a painting….
I will paddle Jacko three times this year. If I only had three lakes to paddle, Jacko, Stake, and Scuitto would be my choices.
I took the water taxi from the campground area at the end of Clearwater Lake to the Rainbow Falls Marine Campsite on Azure Lake and paddled back to the start. In the first day, I paddled my kayak for 15.5 km to Four and a Half Mile Campground in stormy conditions. On the next morning I paddled for 5.7 km to the end of the lake, then down the Azure – Clearwater River for 3 km to Clearwater Lake.
Paddling down the Clearwater River is relatively easy, avoiding shallow gravel shoals on the east side and deadheads and sweepers on the west side. The middle of the main channel is the best choice.
Once on the main lake, experienced paddlers go down either shoreline, not down the middle of the lake. The choice depends on the direction of the wind and which campsites may be the end point for the day. The western shoreline is a bit shorter with smaller bays. From the north end of the lake to the narrow neck of the lake at Diver’s Bluff is 15.5 km.
As I paddled down the west shore (which is more scenic since there are better views of the Azure Ranges), I could see back to Mt. Huntley and the peaks on the north side of Azure Lake. I passed by several campsites – Barella, Huntley View, and Archer Creek on my way to the Diver’s Bluff Point.
On the east side, Azure Peak and Zodiac Peak rise above the lake. The ridges of Azure Peak and Zodiac Peak can be reached from Ivor Creek Campground, but there is no trail and the climb is 1800 m (5900 feet).
After Diver’s Bluff the lake starts to narros. Grey clouds threatened another afternoon storm, but I got in before any difficult weather came in. Nevertheless I faced a 10 km headwind all the way down the lake.
It is 5.7 km from Diver’s Bluff to the boat launch, but my truck was back at the campground so I paddled down the narrowing lake-river channel to just before the falls, another 2.7 km.
After 7 hours of continuous paddling I arrived at the landing spot. I paddled 32 km that day, enough for a well-deserved rest that night.
I am not recommending this kind of trip. Paddling on Azure Lake in a storm is not advisable, even for experienced paddlers. Paddling all day can be done, but the route is best done in 4-5 days, camping at different marine campsites on the way back. I have done it both ways and when I return to do the trip again, I will opt for 3 days, a compromise plan, but weather also adjusts our plans, so it may be another adventure on the lakes.
The north side of the lake has steep rocky bluffs for much of the length of the route, though a dead-end road comes from either end to support vacation homes. I paddled up the lake for an hour and then turned back.
There were a few ducks and geese on the lake, like this common merganser.
There is quite a lot of shallow water on the west side of the lake so I steered down the navigation tunnel to the Chase Bridge to finish an 8 km paddle on a sunny morning.
Along the eastern shoreline there was some wildlife, like this coyote:
Pat Lake was one more lake in a season of paddling. This was day 55 of 66 days of paddling in 2020. Some lakes are paddled every year, some are every 2nd or 3rd year and a few are first time or last time paddles.
