When the summer heats up the valley, some of the highland lakes make a nice retreat for exploration, a workout, and some paddling. Two lakes worth visiting are McGillivray Lake and Morrisey Lake. The simplest route is to drive to Sun Peaks and follow the main road, turning up onto Sun Peaks Drive, then onto the McGillivray Lake Forest Service Road. This road is snowed-in the winter, but it is quite a good access road for late-spring, summer, and fall. Follow the road as it climbs around the resort, then around the cross-country ski system. This same road connects all the way towards Chase.
Along the way, a side road goes east to Morrisey Lake. There are two small campsites to launch a boat, camp, fish, or just picnic. It is a medium-sized lake, but in scenic forested bowl.
Not far to the south is the larger McGillivray Lake. Drive down to the McGillivray Lake Outpost where there is parking, a dock, a boat launch, and outhouses.
It is an easy launch from this spot. The lake is about 2km long. There are two large islands to explore, with a landing spot on the south tip of the northern island. Two bays are full of water lilies, loons dive for fish, fish jump with a new hatch, and many birds circled overhead.
On the way back to town, take the road south down, winding through the hills down to Neskonlith Lake. On our last trip we saw deer, a black bear, two badgers, and hillsides of wildflowers.
The road winds down the hill, passes the west end of Neskonlith Lake, and comes down to the Shuswap Road. Follow the road back to Pritchard, and cross the bridge to the Trans Canada Highway.
There is something magical about driving to the end of lake, then paddling out into wilderness. There are no roads beyond the boat launch and the lake is 23km long. Azure Lake adds another 23 km of wilderness.
The southern half of the lake is all trees along a steep shoreline, but these are ridges, not peaks. A few waterfalls tumble into the lake and there are some good spots to land at the marine campgrounds along the way. For a day paddle, we stopped at Cariboo Beach, then up to Divers Bluff and came back on the other side for a triangular route. We recommend crossing the lake at the narrowest spots since winds and waves can rise up on the lake, particularly later in the day. The water is clear, and the lake is quiet.
When the North and South Thompson Rivers reach their peak from mid May to mid-July, islands are flooded and new channels open up, providing opportunities to paddle into the channels and explore areas that motorized boats can’t get into. Two channels worth exploring are accessed from the McArthur Island boat launch. By late-July the boat launch becomes too shallow and the channels can’t be paddled. The challenge in going out into the Thompson River in flood is that the river runs quickly with the combined weight of the two rivers. Any upstream paddling west of Overlander Bridge is a slow paddle requiring strength and endurance. If you can find a back eddy or a slower part of the river, choose it.
Paddle 1.3 km downriver to the west entrance to the McArthur Island. Turn into the channel and paddle the still waters up to the bridge. On my last trip, the waters were too high to allow a kayak to get under the bridge so I turned around there. There were many ducks and blackbirds in the channel and its an interesting side trip away from the river’s currents. On the way back out, turn upstream and paddle hard upstream to the end of Rabbit Island. This upstream paddle will be the most challenging part of the route. Once around the point of the island, the current is a little less, then a back eddy can be entered, allowing an easier paddle on the south side of the island. To return back downriver, paddle out of the eddy into the current to return downstream to the west tip of the island. Steer close to shore and enjoy a lesser current up the north side of Rabbit Island. There is a small channel at the west end of the island to explore.
Continue up the north side of the island and look for the deep channel into the interior of the island. There is a bit of a current in here, but you can enjoy exploring the channel all the way to the end and back. Continue upstream along the shore of the island to avoid the main current of the river. I find it easier to go past McArthur Island, then angle back down to the boat launch..
A channel that floods in high water on the North Thompson River was featured in a post last summer (link). In May and June, the river expands and rises and creates a mile-long island island across from Westysde. By paddling across the river, a canoe or kayak can enter the channel at either end and enjoy and “everglades” type of environment. Beavers, muskrats, eagles, ducks, and nesting birds use the slower-moving waters of the channel. An eagle’s nest overlooks the south end of the channel. We saw a cowbird and western tanagers in the trees. Beaver activity is most often seen in the evening. The top part of the channel is partially blocked by a large ponderosa pine so care should be taken at the north end. Personal water craft or motorboats are not recommended. A number of submerged poles are evidence of former log-booming in the channel. The journey through the channel is safe and very navigable for canoes and kayaks, though the north entrance may daunt some so less-confident paddlers can enter at the south end and paddle up and back.
Crossing the North Thompson takes some experience. Starting at the Harrington Road hand launch site is recommended, with a quick crossing to the east side. Going up and back along the east shore is easier since the west shore current is much stronger.
We have wilderness and wildlife corridors right through the middle of our City. The North and South Thompson Rivers are transformed as the waters rise and flood the rock shorelines and sandbars. The rivers expand right into the vegetation zones on either side. While paddling on the river this week, the following can be seen by other observant outdoors people:
Nesting ducks and geese along shorelines, in tree caverns, and on shelves above the water line.
Loons are not normally seen on the river near town except in May-June. Loons were diving in the wide section of the river east of the Yellowhead bridge.
A muskrat home can be seen close to the shore on the Reserve side upriver.
Beaver activity can also be seen on the shoreline.
Two Canada goose mothers each had three fledglings on the shoreline.
Shrubs and trees adapted to the flooded riparian zone dominate the shoreline. In the Kamloops area, the shoreline it is often hardhack spirea, red osier dogwood, shrub willow, and black cottonwood.
Spirea was in flower, even with its feet in the water. Catkins have not yet swelled.
Shrubs and trees make hollows, tree-caves, and alcoves for wildlife. We area usually only aware of the rustlings.
Eagles and ospreys perch on high spots looking down at the river.
Gulls and crows scavenging along shorelines.
Shore debris that is lifted by the rising river.
The whole river channel changes with new eddies, small whirlpools, and rebound waves appearing over what had been shoreline a few weeks ago. Rippled water covers rock bars and sandbars.
On the claybanks, small birds nest in burrowed holes. We saw mountain bluebirds and swallows flitting to the nests and back over the river.
We launched out of Cooney Bay on a sunny, blustery day in October. Cooney Bay Road is a bit rough and it is a bit of a haul down to the muddy beach over logs. Once in the water, paddlers have to navigiate around the sandbars at the mouth of the river. It is much easier to round the point and venture into Cooney Bay and then along the north shore of the lake. To get to the south shore of the lake, there is a long traverse over some turbulent water to reach the rocky bluffs. The railway (CPR) follows the south shore and goes over trestles, platforms, and through tunnels where the clifffs come right down to the lake. The railbed was built in 1885 and the tunnels and platforms date back to this time, but were improved over time. Some of the platforms are quarried rock:
Paddling Kamloops Lake on a calm day is a great experience. It can be an adventure on a windy day and should only be attempted by experienced paddlers with full safety gear.
Taking pictures in a kayak with waves and wind is not easy. Further along the lake is a trestle which we paddled underneath to a rocky cove.
The shoreline remains rocky all the way to Tobiano. The angle of the lake turns WNW so the waves were now cutting across our bearing and we had to time each wave surge (some were 3 feet high) to avoid being swamped or overturned. This made for some concentrated efforts all the way to Tobiano.
Tobiano has a launch ramp. some docks, and a sandy beach. We found the landing to be easy, pulled our boats onto the shoreline and had then lunch.
A paddle from Cooney Bay to Tobiano is not an easy one. Good weather is important and a two-car system would work best. We are not sure if Tobiano would charge you for a landing. We understand that it costs $10 to launch there. That day was late in October, no one was around, and we paddled all the way to Savona, landing at the small park. It is a longish paddle with a lot of open water, but the scenery is fine all the way. It would be nice to have a better launch spot near Kamloops, but this also measn that there are very few boats on the east end of the lake.
The Scuitto Lake Road starts a short ways up the Campbell Range Road. After winding through Tree Flats, it starts to climb through the forest around Mount Vicars. The road is in good shape, but it is a little bumpy. Emerging out of the forest, the road comes to the northeast corner of Scuitto Lake. Both Scuitto and Campbell Lake are destinations for fishing, but they also are a nice spot for a leisurely paddle. There are a number of camping spots on the east shore and good access at a number of points.
There are some interesting shallows to explore on the west side and we landed on the island to look around. Mt. Vicars and Mount Scuitto rise above the uplands lake.
One of our favorite paddling destinations is Clearwater Lake. The launch is at the very end of the Wells Gray Corridor. There is a good parking lot and lots of room to launch. Start your journey north.
The first campground on the lake is just across the narrow part of the lake so if you have a late arrival, this may be a good choice. As you start your paddle up the lake, you will be amazed by how clear the water is. The lake gradually widens. Divers Bluff is a larger campground with some nice sites above the shoreline. Big Bar Campground is popular because of its sandy point and sheltered (small) bay. We like Ivor Creek because it is a small campground for non-motorized boats only. Two small streams come down to the lake here, but the forest behind is very dense and dark. If you plan to cross the lake, doing it early is a good idea since winds can whip up on this 22 km long lake. It is a long paddle to the end of the lake. We enjoyed the small campground at the north end.
If you have two nights only, then paddling Clearwater Lake to two campsites is a good choice. If you have more time, then you can try the portage to Azure Lake. Paddle to the end of the lake, them enter the river. The current makes progress slow but look for the slowest flow on either side. After some hard work, you can see a sign on the right marking the start of the portage. This is not a long portage, but it is an awkward one. The first 250 meters is fairly open, but the last 750m climbs over a small bluff, winding among rocks and trees. Even with a cart, this is a difficult section for a lone paddler. Most people carry their boats one at a time, working in pairs. More and more people are using the the water taxi to haul their boats instead, right to the end of Azure Lake and then they paddle back to their vehicles.
Azure Lake is also 22 km long. From the parking lot to Rainbow Falls near the end of Azure Lake is two full days of paddling. However far you plan to paddle, come prepared and be self-sufficient. There are no roads, homes, or services once you have started your marine exploration. But that is precisely why we return to Clearwater Lake as often as we can.
The two arms of Murtle Lake wind around Central Mountain (see the map in the previous post). From a number of viewpoints, hikers can look down the west arm or the north arm of the lake. To the east is the Wavy Range, with triangular peaks and long rocky ridges. To the north is an endless line of snow and ice covered peaks of the Cariboo Ranges. To the northeast is the source of the North Thompson River, the Premiers Range. Looking past the end of the west arm, the Murtle River winds down the Murtle Plateau. The cone -shaped Kostal Volcano stands above Kostal Lake. Lakes, rivers and ponds dot the landscape. Below the sandbars of Leo Island, where we camped, could be seen under the blue-green lake water (telephoto shot).
The start of the hike is on the north side of the west arm, not far from Leo Island. There is no easy landing at the trailhead. It is a bit of a rocky shoreline, but once ashore, there is room to drag the boat up onto the bank. A sign marks the trailhead and the trail starts a winding route up into the forest. The route is steep and a bit overgrown. The route is 7.5 km each way with a 1037m elevation gain. The trail climbs out of the forest into sub-alpine meadows with lots of wildflowers. The mountain is a sprawling open meadow with rocky outcrops and a few ponds. Travel across the top is quick and hikers will want to find new viewpoints by exploring the open ridges.
If this mountain had easier access, it would see many hikers. It is a recommended hike for those who can travel, portage, paddle, camp, and take a full day to explore the high country.
Once you have launched your canoe or kayak, you will pass through a lagoon for 1.5 km. At this point, you will emerge into Murtle Lake. There are two campsites (Murtle Lagoon) here if paddlers get a late start. The large east bay makes good paddling if the winds are calm, but if not, you may have to stay inside the lee of the bay, making a longer paddle, but a route closer to shore will be less difficult if there is weather to battle. On our last trip, we were able to angle straight for the point on a calm, sunny day.
At the point is a sandy spit and just inside the spit is the next campground. A sandy beach and a good location makes this campground (Sandy Point) a popular spot. There are only 3 designated sites here, but we saw about 8 tents pitched. All campsites have a food cache and pit toilets.
Continuing on, paddlers pass a marshy, forested shoreline. At the indent of the bay, another larger campground (Arthur) sits. Turning around the point, paddlers will enjoy Fairy slipper Island. There is no camping here, but it makes a nice spot for a rest or a swim. The West Arm narrows here between Central Mountain and the south shoreline. The hills beyond are rounded, leading on to the Murtle Plateau.
There are 7 campgrounds in the arm. some may already be full. We stopped at each one just to see the site. We talked to some of the campers. Most were close to full except the ones at the far end, but all seemed very nice.
Birch Beach Campground (the first one on the north shore) had 3 sites, but we saw 6 tents. Beyond it, Cottonwood Campground had 2 sites and was full. We paddled onto Leo Island and found that the campsite up on the hill was vacant. Everyone who was already camped on the island wanted to be on the beach, so we set up our tents and spent 3 nights here as our base camp.
We paddled down the west arm and checked out the campground at Smoker Island (2 sites). Campers told us that the fishing was best near the islands or in Diamond Lagoon. Beyond the islands is a campground at File Creek (4 sites). There is a 1.5km portage there up File Creek to where boats can be launched upstream. the route is a little marshy but boardwalks help. File Creek is fairly narrow and the area can be buggy, but the terrain opens up further upstream under the slopes of It is possible to hike from the top of navigation on File Creek up to McDougall Lake or beyond to Kostal Lake. This area is very remote and only for the most experienced backcountry explorers. Another 4km trail goes up to Anderson Lake, which will be on our itinerary for our next trip. There is also a trail on the North Shore that goes up Central Mountain which will be a separate story to follow.
The Kostal Campground at the end of the arm was empty, but it had a 4 nice sites and a nice beach. As you approach Diamond Lagoon, you may be alarmed by the current as it sweeps out of Murtle Lake. It is an easy ride down into the lagoon. Stay on the south shore and be sure to stop before the lagoon empties into a series of rapids. A signed landing spot is the start of the 5km McDougall Falls Trail. The secret to getting back up from the lagoon is to tuck in behind the island then paddle hard up the narrow section. Fishing is excellent at this outlet.
The west end of Murtle Lake from high on Central Mountain:
If you paddle the whole west arm and do the hikes, there are a few days of camping here.
Paddlers from all over the world travel to North America’s largest non-motorized lake. In British Columbia, we sometimes take such special places for granted, but it’s right in our backyard. Murtle Lake is a destination for paddlers, hikers, and anyone loving to camp in remote mountains. The water is crystal clear, the beaches are wonderful, wildlife is abundant, and the views are wonderful. We hope to get back to Murtle Lake every 2-3 years.
Murtle Lake will require some preparation. It would be very impractical to think of it as a day trip. Traveling time, a portage, and overnight camping all need to be planned. No campfires are allowed so you have to bring a camp stove and all of your own gear. Campsites are primitive so your boat has to have all the gear you might need.
To get to Murtle Lake, drive north to Blue River. Turn left at a signed intersection and follow a twisting, rough gravel road for 27km up into the hills. At the parking lot, you will start the process of loading your boat onto a cart. If you don’t have a cart, you can rent one at the campground at the turn-off in Blue River. Load your supplies into your boat and pull your cart along a gravel path for 2.5 km to the lagoon launch site. You can lock your cart there (a rack is provided). You will then reload your canoe or kayak to launch. A fee is charged for staying overnight at one of the campgrounds at $5/person/night. The first 1.5 km is through a lagoon where you emerge into the lake. There is a wide beach at this point and a campground there if you have made a late launch. As you paddle out into the east bay, you will have to decide to head west or north. There are 19 camping spots on the lake. Your first paddle will likely be to your first campground. it is a long paddle to the end of either arm, so the conditions, the time, and your fitness will limit your choices. Each arm is different and a subsequent post will explain a bit about what to expect.
Some campsites are special spots:
There are more complete posts on Murtle Lake on this website.
Desolation Sound is not far from Cortes, but if you don’t want an expedition, you can day paddle out and back at various spots with safe conditions and interesting locations.
The campground at Smelt Bay is a bit of a minimalist experience, but we liked the beach and the quiet forest. Kayakers can easily launch and land at the beach. We paddled south to Sutil Point (sometimes called Reef Point) and we enjoyed seeing seals and many birds around the shoals, but paddlers have to watch for many submerged rocks. Explore this area in good weather only. If you try to round the point, you will have to deal with currents so consult your tide tables.
We preferred the paddle north to Mansons Landing. Mansons Bay is a popular anchorage. Aside from viewing the yachts, there is a beach, a public dock, a spit, and an adjoining lagoon (at high tide). It is also possible to paddle out to Marina Island (it is on our tbd list).
We found the paddling in Cortes Bay a good choice offer shelter from the winds on a stormy day. There is a good launch by the dock, a yacht club, a seaport, many cliffside homes, sandstone cliffs and a series of islets to explore. We were able to land on one of the Cod Islets and explore. On a calmer day, we would paddle out to the Twin Islands. We enjoyed paddling over toward Mary Point, paddling in and out of the bays along the way. There is a half day of paddling out of Cortes Bay.
At Gorge Harbor, we were able to launch near a public dock. There is a full-service campground there, a restaurant, a marina, boom logging, shellfish farming, oyster beaches, and some large vessels in anchorage. A full tour of the Gorge is a good paddle. We chose not to exit through the surge channel. The currents in the narrow channel travel at 4 knots, except at slack tide. We paddled to the mouth and it looked to be reasonable challenge, but we would make sure no boats were entering or exiting before starting. We instead landed on Ring Island and hiked around the edge and back.
We drove across the island and launched our kayaks at Squirrel Cove. A sand and pebble beach makes a good staging spot for any adventures beyond, although parking is at a premium in this area. This is a major anchorage for all the boats traveling to and from Desolation Sound, We rounded the point and then toured the long protected harbor to see all the anchored boats. We aimed for an adjoining lagoon that only a kayak could enter. The entrance channel is only about 2 meters wide and when we arrived, it was draining down so we had to paddle very hard up a very shallow “waterfall” to get into the entrance. The saltwater lagoon had seals, herons, and various birds, rocky shorelines and coves, one small beach, and several islets. We returned back down the channel in slack tide. The channel was now twice as wide and twice as deep, so it was much less exciting. We then paddled past Protection Island and over towards Boulder Point, but didn’t venture farther.
We left Cortes without doing Carrington Bay, Van Donop Inlet, and all the north side trails. This is on our “bucket list”, but Desolation Sound is higher on the list.
The kayaks are ready to launch from Squirrel Cove for a week in Desolation Sound. Watch for us.
We will continue to return to Galiano Island for a late winter retreat to hike and explore, and in summer to camp and paddle. Galiano is the first stop on the Southern Gulf Islands Ferry from Tsawwassen. Once the ferry is launched, you can be offloading at Sturdies Bay in an hour. We prefer to head inland down the long narrow island to Montague Harbor. We find this area to be central for our explorations, hikes and paddles.
Montague Provincial Park
Montague Provincial Park Campground is usually rated in the top 3 in the province. The camping is in a beautiful oceanside setting with several beaches, hiking trails, and easy access to Trincomali Channel. If you want to camp here, you will need to book this very early to get a site. One part of the campground, though, is for cyclists and paddlers only and it never seems to fill up. In later winter, the 3 km of hiking has a number of options include a beach walk, a reef to explore at low tide, 6 middens, a salt water marsh, and a boat harbour. There are many fine views, so bring your camera.
Take the time to explore the shoreline around Gray Point.
In summer, it is easy to get the kayak right to the water and launch from the beach. We found that a morning paddle worked best because the winds come up by noon each day. From Montague beaches and launches, you can paddle out to numerous islands. Most are privately owned, but we found some oyster-covered coves to land on the islets (not at high tide). We enjoyed paddling around the Ballingel Islets which is an Ecological Reserve for cormorants. It is possible to paddle all the way to Wallace Island, but it would be easier to launch at Retreat Cove, north on the island road.
The coastline has many sculpted features. Taking a photo while kayaking is never easy, but in calm waters it can be done.
Montague is wonderful place to visit, but there a number of other areas that are rewarding – Bodega Ridge, Mount Galiano, Bluffs Park, Dionisio Point, Bellhouse Park, and the channels that surround the island.
We chose to paddle from Tranquille (Cooney Bay) to Savona at the end of October. The forecast looked good, but at the last minute there was a warning about winds from the east.
With an escape route (at Tobiano) in mind, we started early in the morning. We had chosen to paddle the south shore of the lake. I had paddled most of the north shore at one point or another, but the shore shore had always been across 1.6km of lake, so we were interested in the other shore. We also kept Tobiano as an alternate destination in mind if the winds became too strong.
We crossed the 1 km section from Cooney Bay over to the south shore without too much difficulty, although we knew right away that the wind was going to be a challenge. The winds were blowing right down the lake, making paddling easier and we were soon making good time.
Along the south shore, we were impressed by the train tunnels and the stone walls supporting the railbed. The stones were clearly quarried. One of the walls had been recently reinforced with concrete pillars. Another featured a classic arch. Just about the whole route to Cherry Creek had a sheer rock slope rising right from the lake.
As we proceeded down the lake, the winds increased and we were surrounded by 1 to -2 foot waves. Our kayaks rose and fell as the waves overtook us. I checked my GPsr and we were averaging 7 km an hour, assisted by the wind. When the shoreline was parallel to the winds, the going was fast, and paddling was straightforward, similar to paddling in the ocean with the current. When the shoreline angled out with rocky points, there was much more difficult paddling. As the waves pounded the shoreline (with breakers), waves rebounded back and slowed down the waves coming in, and these waves mounded up into 2 to 3 foot waves. We found ourselves between whitecaps in the center of the lake and active breakers closer to the shore. In between there was a comfort zone, where the waves ran straight, but we paddled farther out from the shore. When we had to angle out into the lake, we had to cross the wave barrage at 45 degrees, which was manageable as long as we anticipated the waves over our right shoulders, paddling into and bracing into the oncoming wave. We were breached a few times, but as long as we kept our focus, we made good time down the lake.
We chose to make a landing at Tobiano on a nice sandy beach. There is a road down to the beach, a boat launch ramp, and a gangway down to a floating dock there. No one was around on a windy end-of-October Saturday morning, but we were glad to have a spot to have lunch and dry out.
From the Kamloops Airport to Six Mile Point is a straight line of unimpeded open water. The winds from the east picked up speed down this corridor. We launched and found ourselves in 3 foot waves. Looking over at my friend Russ, I would lose sight of his kayak as he dipped into the troughs and then be carried aloft again. As I paddled and a wave lifted me, the front 4′ of my kayak would be out of the water. We could surf the waves if we paddled hard enough, but after a minute or so, the wave would steam ahead, leaving us in the trough again, looking over our right shoulders for the next wave.
The most difficult challenge was when the corner of a wave passed us and we slid off the edge. This would tilt our boat at an angle. We could brace for this (if we saw it in time) but at times it caught us unprepared and we fought to keep from being turned sideways in the shifting waters. A combination of angled waves and a rudder out of the water (on the backside of the wave above the trough) might cause us to be spun about, and then the next wave swamped the boat. With spray skirts on, most of the water swept away, but we got wet nonetheless.
The angled sweep out around Six Mile Point was achieved by paddling hard and anticipating the waves. A few rogue waves broke onto the kayaks in this section. Who would be out paddling in such weather?
Kamloops Lake can be divided into two sections with the east end aiming northeast and then at Six Mile Point the lake angles southwest. Rounding the point was like being on a different lake. Six Mile Point acted as a natural breakwater for the whole shoreline down to the west end of Savona. We found the next section leisurely. The shoreline near Savona has many shallow sections so we paddled out farther into the lake, but still only encountered smaller waves. The landing at the boat launch was a welcome sight after 5 hours on the lake.
The scenery on the lake is outstanding. The route is a long one, and best suited to a calm summer day. But on those days, there will be other boaters and a lot of shore activity. We saw eagles and shoreline birds, but no boaters, and no one else in sight. We will return for a Savona to Kamloops paddle up the north shore, hopefully with no wind.
The North Thompson River rises in the glaciers of the Premiers Range west of Valemount, flows east to the Monashees, then is steered south and down the North Thompson Valley. Many rivers flow into it – the Albreda, Mad River, Thunder River ,Blue River, Mud Creek, Raft River, the Clearwater River, the Barriere River, Jamieson Creek – and many other streams and creeks. It flows steadily south to Kamloops at 3-4 km/hr. It is joined by the South Thompson River in Kamloops, the outflow of Shuswap Lake and all its feeders. Starting from Kamloops, the paddler can paddle either river upstream for days north or east, but few will choose to paddle upstream for more than an hour. Its hard work above all.
But we do choose to paddle upstream every week:
We embrace the challenge as a strength and endurance workout.
While we are still fresh, we find a steady rhythm of strokes, without a break until our turn-around point.
We pick one side of the river for the way up, and the other side for the way down.
The first half is all concentration, a focus on precision, balance, and finding the aerobic threshold.
The second half, on the flow downstream propelled by the current, is easy, meditative, a reward for all the hard work upstream.
The best (paved) road into the north end of Mabel Lake heads east from Enderby, following the Shuswap River upstream. Be sure to stop to at various points (Cooke Creek, Skookumchuk, etc.) to look at the river along the way. As you approach the lake, the road really ends at the RV Park/Golf Course/Airstrip/Resort and there is some limited access to the lake there, but there is a good access at the marina which sits at the mouth of the river.
Mabel Lake is a large lake – 35 km long. There is no road along the west shore and only a Forest Service Road along the east side north of Mabel Lake Provincial Park starting at the south end.
We enjoyed paddling out into north end of the lake. For a short paddle, aim north towards Tsuius Narrows and cross the lake to the mouth of Tsuius Creek, then follow the shore south to Cottonwoods Beach. There is a 20 site BC Forest Service Campsite there with a sandy beach.
For a longer paddle, the north end of the lake is about 14 km. Noisy Creek campsite is on the west shore.
Tobiano has a launch ramp. some docks, and a sandy beach. We found the landing to be easy, pulled our boats onto the shoreline and had then lunch.
