At the end of Azure Lake is a magical spot. Rainbow Falls Campground sits about 5 km from the east end of the lake. Angus Horne River flows into the lake here, tumbling over Rainbow Falls.
Millennia of silt deposits have created a sandy crescent of a beach from the river mouth west around the bay. Campsites in the woods fronting the beach are private and have picnic tables. An old trapper’s cabin sits in the woods, amidst the blueberry bushes. The campsite has 3 food caches, 3 washrooms and about 10 campsites. Fire rings are provided and there is ample firewood available. A short trail leads back to a viewpoint of the Falls. The area is in the Interior wetzone with large cedar trees, devil’s club, and berry bushes. We filled up our bags with black huckleberies and had them for breakfast and for after-dinner dessert. This is now our favorite marine campground. The sandy beach extends into the lake for great swimming and paddling. The water was cool, fed by the Azure River, draining the glaciers to the north end of Wells Gray. We paddled to the end of the lake, and landed on the beach at the mouth of the Azure River. We paddled, then walked up the river for a ways, a wonderful spot for lunch and photos. The loop down to the end of the lake and back by the other shore was 11km, perfect for an afternoon’s exploration.
The next nearest marine campground is at the west end of the lake, about 19 km away (a follow-up post on Azure Marine Campgrounds to follow). From Rainbow Falls to Four and a Half Mile Campground, the shoreline is steep, with very few places to land, but we did see a half dozen waterfalls along the way. The north shore is dominated by Buchanan Ridge, the view across the lake from the campground.
Ian Hyslop photo
We didn’t want to leave this site, but we had 50 km of paddling ahead of us. Rainbow Falls rivals the best beaches on Murtle Lake, but is even more remote and far less visited, This is on our return visit list, especially for the season after mosquitoes and in the black huckleberry harvest.
Azure Lake lies deep within Wells Gray Park. At the end of the Wells Gray Corridor Road, Clearwater Lake starts, extending 24 km north. At the far end, the Clearwater River empties into the lake. To get to Azure Lake, boats have to paddle up the river for 3 km. There is a portage at the halfway point, but when I hiked the route, I found it to be narrow and twisting with big rocks and trees, not that good for a kayak cart. It is only a 1 km portage, but would be a big challenge. Paddling upstream is tiring, but manageable by late August. Before that, the current is too strong. There are some small islands which create back channels to paddle through.
Azure Lake beyond is also 24km long. Including the river,, it is a 51 km paddle from the start of Clearwater Lake to the end of Azure Lake, 102 km return. Many paddlers opt to take the water taxi to the end at Rainbow Falls and paddle back, camping at marine campsites along the way in 3-6 days. That would be my recommendation (link). The campsite at Rainbow Falls and the end of the lake is worth two days (the next post will feature Rainbow Falls).
Early in the season, the lake will be high (all of the marine campgrounds were flooded this year in June) and the river will run too high and fast. Mosquitoes will be out in June so wait until later. The best months on Azure Lake are August through early October. Go to Azure Lake for the scenery, the quiet remote location, and the beachfront campsites. Go for the memories, the photographs, and the joy of paddling a pristine wilderness lake.
There are several newer posts on Azure Lake on this website.
When the weather bakes up, we try to get on the water (or hike to altitude). Our rivers and lakes become destinations and we are situated right in the middle of dozens of paddling routes. Kayaking in a longer boat (faster/steadier) means finding larger lakes. Our goal is to have enough lakes and rivers in the area to not have to have repeats within the same year. When there is no wind, all lakes are fair game, but when wind and weather are present, we have to pick our routes carefully. Knowing how winds affect individual lakes helps and we can always hug the shoreline or try the kayak sail if conditions warrant it.
Neskonlith Lake is a good destination for a summer paddle. It is 11.5 km around the shoreline, a 2 to 2.5 hour paddle. The shoreline is varied and there is lots to see. The lake sits in a bowl on a north-south line. Most of the winds of the area run east-west (either way) so cross winds may be seen on the lake, but on my most recent paddle, there was no wind, on a hot day.
The best launch point is is from the boat launch at Neskonlith Provincial Park. Go past the first camping area for about 200m to the beach launch area.
When I paddled the west shore, there were many western painted turtles sunning on logs in the lake. When I approached with some noise, they plunged into the lake, but when I glided close, they stretched their long green necks (with yellow stripes) outward, trying to sense if any predators were nearby. Their orange-scarlet underbellies were on display. Some of big ones were the slowest to plunge in and they could be seen from a distance. Dragon flies flitted along the water, landing on floating aquatic plants.
The campground extends along the western shore for a few kilometers. Douglas fir and red osier dogwood front the lake. A few cabins can be seen mid-lake and a small number of homes at the south end. A great blue heron waded in the shallows and an osprey and red-tailed hawks circled overhead. Fish jumped everywhere in the gloomy water. Pollen had covered the water’s surface with a yellow-green hue. Smartweed (not yet in bloom), aquatic buttercup, and milfoil grew in the shallows.
The east shore sits below rock bluffs so some shade can be found by staying close to the shoreline. A rocky island makes a good spot for lunch. The northeast corner of the lake is shallow and sits next to dry grasslands on the Reserve. There are some bullrush marshes at the north end. Away from all busy roads, the area is very quiet and other than a couple of small fishing boats, there was no activity on the lake.
There are no fine beaches for good swimming as there is at Johnson Lake, Lac le Jeune, and Paul Lake, but there is a sense of quiet, solitude, and a presence of aquatic life that adds much to a summer afternoon of paddling.
Johnson Lake sits high in the hills above Adams Lake. The best road up to the 3800 foot lake is from the Agate Bay Road. The road is wide and well-graded. The other route is from Adams Lake, either from Brennan Creek or from the 28.5km mark. I followed the latter route which climbed through a series of switchbacks with some nice views down Adams Lake. Although the area has been logged, there were no recent cuts and cedar forests covered the upper valleys.
At Johnson Lake, the road on the south side is a good one, I pulled into the BC Forest Service Campsite at the east end. I launched my kayak and paddled the shoreline loop of the whole lake, an 11km route. The water is crystalline blue and clear to depths. Every inch of the lake bottom can be seen from the shoreline due to the limestone of the area. Shoals provide interesting viewing and some small schools of fish could be seen in blue water over a white shoal. Cedar forests lined the shoreline all the way. There are a few cabins on the north shore, but three-quarters of the lakeshore is forested. The resort sits at the far south west and narrowest end of the lake. The actual resort is out of site between two lakes and only docks can be seen from the water. At the east end of the lake, the camping area sits on a sandy white shoal with the clearest water I have seen in this area. The Johnson Lake Trails were built for horseback riders, but are used by hikers and snowmobilers too. The trails start at the northeast side of the lake. There are 22km of trails to explore. For a map of the trails, go to this link.
On a hot summer day, this highland gem is a recommended destination.
After a number of years visiting Painted Bluffs Provincial Park, we now only visit by boat. The land route is not easy, nor pleasing. After a long drive to Copper Creek, there is no suitable access because of private property, fencelines, and the railway. On the other hand, a boat can launch from Savona (or Tobiano) and go across the lake, following the shoreline up to the beach at the foot of the bluffs.
The landing is an easy one on a gravel beach.
A short hike up the slopes and across the railroad tracks is required. There is no discernible trail, but a route follows the dry stream bed up to the bluffs. Sinuous ridges extend from the hill above. The dominant colors are green (copper), red (cinnabar), orange (iron and algae on rocks). Nothing grows on the narrow ridges, nor in the rills between them. The foot of the bluffs is an eerie spot. A visitor can explore the foot of the bluffs easily or climb side hills for a better view.
On our last visits, we have chosen to climb the ridges for different perspectives, following the colored ridges to new viewpoints.
The narrow ridgetops are a scramble suited to good boots and steady balance and the gullies are difficult to traverse, but the diversity of colors, shapes, and materials brings new rewards to explorers willing to climb to the heights of the bluffs.
There are a few rocky ridges intermixed with the eroded bluffs too. A few scrubby plants can be found among the rocks. In the gullies are pieces of calcite, sheets of mica, and variety of interesting rock samples. First Nations people gathered copper nuggets at the bluffs and nearby at Copper Creek. When we travel to the site, we practice no impact exploration, leaving samples where they were found. On a previous trip, we watched bighorn sheep traversing the upper bluffs, but we try to stay on the tops of ridges or in the bottom of stream gullies, not wanting to erode the sides of the ridges. With almost no vegetation on the bluffs, we were surprised to see blazing stars in bloom on a rocky-sandy ridge.
Painted Bluffs retains its other-worldly beauty because it is in a remote spot. Visitors need to respect the heritage values of the site, taking only photos away with them and leaving no trace of their passing.
While basecamping out of Jedediah Island, we paddled out into the Sabine Channel and explored around most of 30 islands in the area. All of the islands are rocky with very few landing spots, but we found a couple that would be good for camping as long as we brought our own water.
Tidal currents are minimal in this area. We experienced a 2 knot flow from the NW in Sabine Channel and some winds, but for the most part, kayaking is in protected waters around the islands. Using a kayak sail, I was able to sail down Little Bull Channel one day and down Sabine Channel to the south tip of Texada another day.
We enjoyed a paddle over to Lasqueti Island, following the rocky coast line around to Squitty Bay Provincial Park. We also followed the line of islands northwest. The small islands north of Jervis Island have lots of underwater life in low tide on shallow shelves. In 3 days of paddling in the islands, we spotted over 80 seals. There were also bald eagles, great blue herons, loons, geese, gulls, crows, and ducks.
We landed on Jervis Island which is now Sabine Channel Provincial Marine Park. There is a good landing spot on the west side, right next to Bunny Island. We hope to camp here on a future trip, although we would have to haul our gear up through the bluffs.
There are a few private homes on Lasqueti Island, Bull island, and Rabbit Island, but they are high up above the channels and mostly out-of-sight, Yachts, and power craft ploughed up the channels from time to time, and anchored overnight in protected bays. They are no problem for kayaks and we enjoyed seeing the various boats and activities.
Photography from a kayak is both difficult and limited. The views are from the water looking up at bluffs and headlands. Rocky bluffs, a few trees, seaweed and water stain at low tide. Managing a camera in the cockpit is a precarious thing at best, with both hands already occupied with paddling and steadying the boat in the waves. The camera hasn’t gone overboard yet, but it will happen.
The channel waters seemed warm, but took extra precautions to make sure we didn’t go over. The deeper waters would be cold and even though we know our kayak rescue techniques and have practiced, it is always a difficult operation. There is a time to sightsee, and there is a time to attend to paddling. The camera, the sail, and the fishing rod, stays stowed away in more challenging conditions.
This is a special area to explore by kayak, one that will be in our minds over the winter months, thinking back to warm sun, warm wind, and warm seas.
For those who love to kayak, Jedediah Island is a destination for exploration. Most kayakers launch from the Sunshine Coast. Go north of Sechelt to Half Moon Bay for a good access to a short crossing to the Thormandby Islands. The crossing of Malaspina Strait from North Thormandby is 8km of open water and should only be attempted in calm conditions. We returned by this route in rougher conditions and the kayaks plunged out of sight in the troughs between waves. If conditions aren't good, there is lots of paddling around the two Thormandby Islands and into Pirates Cove Provincial Park.
If the crossing can be done to the south end of Texada Island, another crossing is still required. We found Sabine Channel to be good paddling, but it adds another 5km of open water. The route from North Thormandby to Jedediah is about 3 hours of continuous paddling. there are a number of potential landing spots on the island with Home Bay as the first choice for many kayakers. A narrow channel leads into a protected bay with a beach and camping area. At low tide, all of the landings will be on mud flats, awkward for unloading boats. We observed a group that waited several hours for the bay to fill up with water before landing. The campsite has a kiosk, outhouse, sandy beach and a grassy bench for camping.
All of the camping areas of the island are connected by trails. There are 3.5km of official trails and a few routes to viewpoints too. In Home Bay, the former home of a series of owners who eventually sold the island to the province of B.C. for $4 million sits up on a bluff. Behind the home perched on the hill is an orchard and meadows. A herd of feral goats grazed this area every day. Raccoons came down to the bay at low tide each morning.
Each day yachts, cruisers, and motorboats would take overnight anchorage in one of 7 bays or inlets around the island. Jedediah is a long way from the nearest vacation home so everyone seems to understand the need for a quiet stay at the island. The whole island (243 hectares) is a provincial park, and is a choice destination to visit, hike, and explore. But Jedediah is also surrounded by 30 islands for exploration by water, to be featured in another article to follow.
The Copper Island route has been featured in a past post (link). This time, we left Shuswap Lake Park in flood. All of the beaches were under water. Debris flanked the possible entry points. Mosquitoes were breeding in the standing water in low points. We launched nonetheless and to our delight, the ban on speed boats made the 2km crossing more peaceful. We paddled around the north side of the island to the landing spot on the east side. There is usually a small cove with a pebbly beach landing, but high water covered any possibility of a bow landing. We pulled out kayaks alongside some grassy banks and secured the boats. The hike is a 3km loop, climbing to the top of the steep-sided island. Viewpoints are numerous on the south and west sides of the island.
Flowering spirea, ocean spray, Oregon grape, thimble berry, huckleberry, and mock orange decorate the hillsides. Bald eagles and osprey perched on branches overlooking the cliffs. By the time we paddled back to Scotch Creek, more late-riser boaters were up, but we paddled in a chevron formation back to the camping area. Neither the paddle nor the hike is a long route, but the combined route makes a very pleasant half-day trip in fine weather. This was our third trip, and we will return for many more.
The area immediately east of Tranquille floods each year and becomes the home to wildlife in channels and riparian zone on both sides of the river. The designated area is on the north side, but across the river 2 km away is another larger area. The flood zone also extends up the shores of the river trail and west along to Cooney Bay. To see all the channels of the floodlands is a 16 km route. Inside the flooded channels is willow and cottonwoods, creating green “islands,” with birds and aquatic life. Which wildlife will be seen depends on the month and the mating cycle of each species. Families are born and predators feed. Floodlands are inhabited by fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Mammals swim into the channels or forage on the shores. Each day brings more surprises. Over 5 days in the channels, many species were seen:
When the Thompson River is in flood, the flat lands near Kamloops Lake become part of the river. The Wildlife Management area on the north side is part of Lac du Bois Provincial Park. A parking area there can be used to do a hand launch at the end of the fence, just short of Tranquille on the Lake.
The flooded land is full of nesting birds and new families of ducks and geese. Small islets of shrubs and debris dot the bay. The river is at its widest here but the current is slow. It is a 2 km crossing to the south shore. A backwater channel starts at the west end of the green space and continues upstream for 2.6 km. The channel has lots of water for canoes or kayaks, but is not suitable for power boats. On the paddle upstream, I spotted a beaver lodge, a deer on an island, numerous ducks and geese, and a muskrat crossing a side channel. At a particularly narrow spot, a big black bear didn’t see my kayak and started to swim across the channel just meters in front of me, but slowly backed up as I back-paddled too. He watched me from the shoreline farther up, not quite sure what to make of the intrusion.
A full tour of both sides of the river is a 10 km journey. It is best done at full flood, before the mosquitoes hatch. There were no bugs now (mid-June), but they are due any day now. You will likely be the only one there (except for the beavers, bears, deer, muskrats, ducks, and geese)….
On a kayaking trip on Adams Lake, we camped at Spillman Beaches, but the next day we took a long paddle up the lake to a green spot on the map, listed as Poplar Point Provincial Park. The route was 10km one way so we followed the treed east side shoreline. All along the way, we saw sandy/pebbly places to land. There are no bluffs on this route and a number of spots would have made fine camping spots. Almost no wind allowed good progress and, at the end of the 10km, we arrived at a sandy point, a small marine park half way up the east side of Adams Lake. We had lunch on a log on the beach and explored the “park.”
A few tent sites bordered the beach. There was a fire pit and an outhouse in need of repair. It is a primitive (BC Parks calls it rustic) campground, the last for many miles on the east shore.
This will be a spot for another trip, one of many calling to us on Adams Lake. The spell-song of the shoreline calls us now…
Kamloops Trails usually provides fairly specific directions to each trail, route, or site, but there have been a few exceptions. When an article on the Petrified Forest was published, no specific coordinates or directions were given. Fossil beds and game trails have not been included to preserve the sites and avoid motorized users from spoiling the spot or route. Spillman Beaches is clearly marked on maps and information can be found on Trails BC’s site. But specific launch spots are coordinates are provided with some reservation.
Adams Lake is large, clean water lake in a pristine environment. Up to now, the main road has been rough and somewhat unsafe to travel. The road has recently been improved and we are now seeing greater use by trucks, ATVs and motorcycles. With better roads come bigger power boats and marine campsites may now see parties who bring their toys to the wild. In the off-season, the marine campsites have very few visitors. On our recent trip, we saw only a couple of low horsepower fishing boats on the west shore and two tugs pulling boom logs. No one was camped along the east shore and we were able to quietly paddle and explore sites. Birds and the sound of running water were the only sounds to be heard. Campsites had not been used since last summer. Beaches had clear water over pebbles or sand. Quiet, idyllic, remote.
Summer will bring the power boats, water skiers, boom boxes/sound systems, barbecues, and party groups. If so, they will have to find the best camp spots on their own. No specific launch spots or landing spots are listed here.
We launched from the west shore in our kayaks and paddled across a narrow part of the lake to some petroglyphs on a cliff face, then proceeded north to Spillman Beaches Provincial Park. This is a series of beach marine campgrounds over a couple of kilometers of shoreline. We identified 4 “official” camping areas, but we found about 10 more. We camped at one, setting up two tents in an area that could accommodate many more.
The shore facilities were fairly primitive. The outhouse was up on the hill, with a roof, but no walls. A firepit at the water’s edge was well used. Tent pads have been carved out and are quite adequate. We followed a trail at one of the sites at the mouth of Spillman Creek and found a nice loop trail with small waterfalls. Following rough trails behind, we left the park and found logging spur roads with signs of hunters from last fall. Marine campsites can be more primitive because we can carry more in our kayaks than we would in a backpack.
This was an end-of-May trip, but we would happily return in the fall. Even in summer, when the powerboats bring noisy groups to the campsites, we could still find a smaller site up the lake. Kayaks can land in tighter quarters and one-man tents have small footprints.
We swam in the lake with the flat pebbles in the shallows heated by the sun. The water was clear to 20 feet along this shoreline. The sites faced to the afternoon sun and we sat by the campfire and watched the sunset. A perfect spot, but one you will have to find by yourself.
We have a green corridor right down the middle of Kamloops Whenever we get out to paddle the South Thompson River, we are amazed by the amount of wildlife, and the relative quiet of waterway. We launch most often at the Pioneer Park boat launch and paddle up river, cross under the Yellowhead Highway and go past the Kamloops Indian Band (TIB) buildings to the shores below the Gregson Trail and back. The paddle upstream is hard work, although less so in April. As the river takes a turn around the point near TIB, it narrows and we find ourselves going very slowly. We keep our eyes on the red and green river buoys to avoid shallows. Once we have passed the end of the Gregson Trail, we turn and enjoy the downstream paddle back. Along the way,, we have spotted many geese, ducks, muskrats, a beaver, bears, coyotes, hawks, and eagles. People come down to the river to walk, fish, and suntan. There is always something to see. We paddle this route up the river in April and May, then we leave the river to the powerboats and come back in mid-September. We start with this route to build up our strength and endurance since it is an easy launch spot with lots to see.
We enjoy the river upstream and downstream too. The North Thompson offers a different experience. As the upland lakes thaw, we will go higher up too, but when we are looking for an hour of exercise, this route is our home base.
Murtle Lake is the largest canoe/kayak-only lake in North America. it is also a remote spot that takes a lot of time, effort, and planning to provide a good wilderness experience. This article provides some information for paddlers who want to explore the north arm of the lake.
The Trailhead
From Blue River, watch for the Blue River Campground sign on the west side of the highway. The junction to Murtle Lake is at the northwest side of the campground. The road soon turns to gravel and begins to climb up the valleys. The road is narrow and there are a number of blind corners so caution is needed. After an hour of slow progress, the route enters Wells Gray Park and the parking lot is a short distance ahead.
The portage trail is a gravel surface, but has some smaller hills. Some of these hills will be a challenge if boats are fully loaded. For canoes and kayaks, most will use a cart. The Blue River campground rents them or you can bring you own. Think about the possibility of a flat tire in your planning. On our last trips in, there were gear carts at both ends so the load can be separately transported from the boats. The carts have larger wheels and are more ergonomically designed so it is an attractive option, though it means doing the trip twice each way. A poorly balanced load on a cart with small wheels (mine went flat last time) and is heavily loaded is a big challenge over a 2.5 km track. Once in the water, the load won’t be noticed so somewhere in between light and well-stocked is recommended.
At the end of the trail, the path leads down to a dock and beach and above is a storage rack for carts (bring your own cable lock), a registration/payment kiosk, washrooms, and a food cache.
Murtle Lagoon
The first part of the paddle is through a lagoon. Stay on the right side to go through the channel. There are campsites on both sides of the channel as it merges with the lake. Sandy beaches front both sides.
All campsites have shared firepits, an outhouse, and a bearproof metal food cache. There are designated tent pads at each campsite, but people also pitch tents on the beach.
Paddling North
The first campsite up the north arm is Strait Creek. The paddle is about 1.5 hours in normal conditions The campsite has a beautiful beach and good facilities, but it also fronts a wetland so it can be a buggy site. We noted about 4 sites in the trees and room for a number of additional tents on the beach. It is a good basecamp for the Wavy Crest hike which can be started by walking down the beach (after fording Strait Creek). We really enjoyed this site, but it is a popular destination for paddlers because of the location and the beach so plan for an early arrival to get a good spot.
We enjoyed walking up and down both sides of the beach and spotted an osprey nearby in the marsh.
East or West
The lake is narrower above Strait Creek so if the winds are right, paddlers can cross the lake in 20-30 minutes and go up the west side or they can stay on the east shoreline. The next campsite on either side is quite small – 1 or two sites only.
For this article, we will paddle up the east side.
Moonlight Bay
This small campsite is easy to miss unless you paddle close to shore. It is tucked away just south of the point. It is a pleasant spot, especially good for the afternoon-evening sun.
It takes 1.75 hrs at least to paddle north to this site, but longer in windy conditions.
The next leg is around the point and then around several more points as the lake curves northeast.
Eagle Point
This is one of the best campsites on the lake – a good beach, 3 campsites above the lake and room for 3 more on the beach, a central firepit, and excellent views up the lake. When we arrived, we had the site to ourselves for one night and it was dead quiet with no one else on the north end of the lake. On the next day, we saw 5 more couples arrive, but there was still enough space for everyone. One of the nicest things about this campsite is that it is not buggy, sitting on a sidehill with no ponds or flatlands nearby.
Looking north, ragged mountains head the valley:
Eagle Point is about 30 minutes from the end of the lake.
Murtle Beach
At the end of the lake, the Murtle River flows into the lake. The river forms a delta and all the lake is very shallow on the east side. On the west side of the end of the lake, a windswept beach sits in front of a narrow band of trees. A campsite is nestled in the trees. An expansive wetland sits behind the narrow forest band. There are great views, but we found the beach to be littered with debris blown down the lake and very buggy. We can’t recommend this campsite.
Paddling down the west side of the north arm there are three campsites:
Little Anderson
Just north of this campground is a little lagoon divided from the lake by a narrow channel which dries up in summer. It is worth a look. A spit runs along the southwest side and a small islet ends the sandy point.
We had heard that there was a dead moose near the campground and there was a also a sign that there was a bear in the area, so we just took a quick look at the site. It seemed okay, but not as nice as Wavy View or Eagle Point.
Wavy View
This was our favorite campground on the west side. It is a bit larger than the others, is right on the beach, and has a terrific view of the Wavy Range. It will get the early morning sun, but will be in the shade late in the day. The washroom is way up on the hill in the cedar forest.
On the route down to Sunshine Bay is a good view of the Wavy Range mountains.
Sunshine Cove
This small campground has room for 1-2 tents. It is a good spot to camp if winds prevent a crossing of the lake.
The North Arm
The West Arm has good fishing, nice beaches, islands to explore, a lagoon and some interesting hikes, but it also sees many more canoes and kayaks. The North Arm has smaller campsites, less visitors, but more dramatic scenery. It is quieter, less buggy, and more remote. We can recommend the North Arm to paddlers looking for a good wilderness experience.
Kamloops has two major rivers and a large lake but very few access points. We have some fully-developed boat launches – Valleyview, Pioneer Park, and for a short-time, McArthur Island. Boaters can also go to Tobiano, Savona, or Chase. Many communities also have hand launch sites, that is, a place to park and a gentle short slope to the river or lake. Good examples of hand-launch sites can be found along the Shuswap River and at various points on Shuswap Lake. But Kamloops has few access points to these rivers. There are a few possible locations though.There are a couple of narrow and awkward points in Westsyde to launch a canoe and kayak and when the river is high, access is possible from Schubert Drive, but parking, distance, and terrain makes these very limited spots. Can we add some hand launch sites to the river and lake? Where?
Kamloops is busy adding ball diamonds and rugby fields to the huge tract of land in Rayleigh. We drove down to look at it and we saw that there is ample room to provide a few parking spaces and an inclined slope for a hand launch for canoes and kayaks. Thompson River Interior Paddle Sports Club is working with this website to draft a letter to the City to request consideration of a hand launch site.
Cooney Bay has had a boat launch on the books for a long time. Will it ever happen?
What can we do to encourage marine access to our wilderness corridors right in the middle of the city?
On back-to-back days, we paddled the Seymour Arm of Shuswap Lake and the southern end of Adams Lake. The contrast was amazing.
Although the Seymour Arm is a remote and scenic spot, it was inundated with dozens of houseboats, jet skis, powerboats, noise, and a collective disregard for others. The area is probably very quiet in the off-season, but we can’t recommend it in the summer.
On the other hand, we found Adams Lake to be remote, quiet, and relatively deserted. No houseboats, jet skis, or ski boats. Every time we travel to the shore of Adams Lake, we find clear water, wildlife, and a quiet wilderness environment.
The lake is long with a few access routes off Holdings Road. We drove north to the lake, then past the mill at the south end to Adams Lake, then a few kilometers north to Adams Lake Provincial Park (Bush Creek). We parked at the campsite and used the boat launch, paddling north up the shoreline toward Agate Bay. The water in the lake is high so the beaches are covered, but there are few roads, few homes, and lots of scenery. On a previous trip we had found broad, pristine beaches. We will return to Adams Lake many times. Shooting video from a kayak is a challenge, but we posted some footage to give readers/viewers a sense of the sights and sounds:
