When spring comes, the ice melts off the lakes and we can start to paddle some of the larger lakes of the area. In May, Paul Lake has a few people fishing, but is quite quiet otherwise. The water is still cold, but fish start to jump, pairs of ducks dabble near the shoreline, loons dive for fish, birds swoop for insects, and the chorus of frogs at the east end marsh foretells warmer weather.
We can launch our boat at either the campground or at the west end of the lake and the whole circuit of Paul Lake is 12 km, a good workout in a scenic spot.
Gibraltar Rock is the prominent landmark along the lake, creating a narrows, with the orange-colorored cliffs looming overhead. With each return to the lake, we change directions and shorelines. To do the whole lake is a good paddle, especially in windy conditions.
The east end of the lake has homes along the north side and steep forest on the south side. The far east end is shallow with a marsh extending into the trees. On the west arm, there are homes on the south side and a trail below Louis Ridge on the north side. We can choose to paddle the whole length of the lake by the forest by crossing the lake by the park forming a figure eight pattern.
By May, we can still paddle the river, but we can also paddle Paul Lake, Neskonlith Lake, Lac le Jeune, Little Shuswap Lake, Stump Lake, Kamloops Lake, and some of the smaller ones (we go around twice) on windier days.
In Kamloops, we can paddle on our rivers in 9 of the 12 months of the year. With a cool spring, the first day of paddling on the river this year was the last day of March. From Pioneer Park, the upstream paddle is easier when the flow rates are down. With a reduced current, we can progress east on the South Thompson River more quickly, but it is still a good workout, especially early in the season as we build our paddling endurance levels. The Valleyview Boat Launch is about 5.75 km. The paddlewheeler Wanda Sue is berthed just east of that, a good place to turn around.
Many geese and some ducks were in pairs or small groups on the shoreline. One great blue heron probed the shallows of the river off Shuswap Road. The best part of paddling at this time of the year is the complete absence of power boats. Although the river goes right through the middle of town, most sections are quiet, especially on a weekday morning. There were 3 other kayaks on the river and one rower too.
We paddle on the river in the early season before the noisy power boats overwhelm the river. They seem oblivious to the intrusiveness of the noise, the wake, and their speed in such a narrow space. When they arrive on the river, we move to the upland lakes.
White pelicans have been spotted in the Tranquille Wildlife Protected area and in Cooney Bay over the past 3 years. These large birds migrate to the BC Interior over the spring-summer, then return to the southern U.S. for winter. A full grown pelican can stand 5 feet high and have a wingspan of up to 9 feet, the second largest bird in North America.
They usually work together in small flocks, to drive fish toward waiting bills, consuming about 2 kg of fish each day. They breed in March-April and nest a month later. They nest in colonies and the chicks leave the nest after about 4 weeks. The pelicans we see in our area are non-breeding birds. They are here to feed on the fish coming up the Thompson River. A popular spot is right where the river empties into Kamloops Lake. In 2013, they could be seen from
In the fall, they can be spotted on migration routes from the Cariboo, on their way south. A flock of 10 spent a few days in Campbell Lake at the end September.
One of the best photos of local pelicans was captured by Mike Anderson (link). A few shots taken by me from the shore and from kayak are also shared here.
On Campbell Lake at the end of September
Cooney Bay in September
On Kamloops Lake
In the flooded Tranquille Wildlife Management area
Maligne Lake is a prime spot to paddle. Information for paddlers follows.
Launch Spot
Drive past the Maligne Lodge and continue across the Maligne River bridge over to the public boat launch. Location – N52 48.550 W117 38.596
Picnic Spots
There a number of designated picnic spots/landings along the lake. Most of these have a beach to land on and picnic tables. See this link for locations.
Power Boats
Powerful tour boats go down the lake to a point just outside of Spirit Island. They put up a big wake so paddlers are advised to paddle close to the shore on either side. Fishermen have to use electric motors so the lake is fairly quiet for most of the time. The Park Ranger also has a power boat, but we didn’t see the Ranger in the 4 days we were there.
Samson Narrows
The lake narrows off at 13km down the lake. The tour boats are supposed to slow down, but paddlers are still advised to time their passage through the narrows well. Location – N52 39.105 W117 30.888
Fisherman’s Cove Campsite
This marine campsite has 8 tent pads, 8 roomy food caches, an outhouse, and picnic tables/firepits in a common area near the beach. It sits on the east shore in a protected bay. Maximum stay is 2 nights and a permit is required (go to the Parks Service in Jasper first). We like the view from the shoreline. Location – N52 39.141 W117 30.210
Spirit Cove
The tour boats go down the lake just past Spirit Island so that tourists can see and photograph Coronet Glacier, then they turn back and land at a dock in the cove. There are washrooms and some trails at the cove. This is where the photos of Spirit Island are usually taken. We landed at the beach in the cove to have lunch and enjoy the view. Location – N52 38.635 W117 29.538
Coronet Creek Campsite
At the far end of the lake, about 23km down the lake if you follow the shoreline (recommended). It sits around the east side of the Coronet Creek outwash. There are 8 tent pads, 8 roomy food bins, picnic tables, firepits, and an outhouse. Bring you own toilet paper. The beach faces east over to the outlet from the Monkhead River. There is a good protected beach for landings and launches. The Coronet Creek/Coronet Glacier trail starts at the campground. The maximum length of a stay at this site is 2 days and a permit is needed. Location – N52 35.755 W117 25.930
Wildlife
Deer roamed through the campsites. We saw fresh bear scats up the Coronet Creek Trail. There were ospreys and loons on the lake.
Weather
Winds often come up in the afternoon, so paddling along the shoreline in the morning is recommended. The water is cold so caution needs to be taken when paddling down the lake and back. We watched a number of novices heading down the middle of the lake in rental canoes, unprepared for the boat wash and strong winds. With some good luck, you will have sunny weather and light winds.
We have been planning to paddle the larger lakes off the Highway 24 corridor and we chose a late summer day to spend the day on Bridge Lake. The lake is fairly big to paddle the entire shoreline in a day (23 km), so we chose to paddle around the groups of islands on the southern half of the lake, a total of about 17 km on a windy day.
We started at the boat launch at Bridge Lake Provincial Park and paddled north past some smaller islands to the leeward shores of Long Island. We enjoyed exploring the shoreline of the islands, working our way west. We particularly liked the small chain of islands and the shallow waters between them at the west end of the lake.
On this day, we also explored the Bridge Lake Ice Caves. We will return to paddle Lac des Roches, Deka Lake, Sheridan Lake, Sulphurous Lake, Crystal Lake, and more, all part of our 60 lakes project.
Coordinates:
turn off onto the Cottonwood Bay Road, then north onto the Bridge Lake Park Road
In a long-term quest to paddle all of the area's lakes, I picked the Frogmoore Lakes for an afternoon of exploration. This chain of 4 lakes sit at the same elevation as the Surrey Summit, the high point on the Coquihalla Highway. To get to the lake, drive toward Logan Lake and watch for the turn-off on the left onto the Surrey Lake Road. Follow this good gravel up through the hills and under the Coquihalla Highway. The signed junction into Surrey Lake is soon passed and, about 2.75 km ahead, watch for a side road going east. The road into the first two smaller lakes is good, but gets rougher before the third lake.
Paddlers wanting to get into the fourth (east) lake can put a boat into the water at the start of the third lake and paddle across to the east side, then portage the boat over the bank to the channel going east, or they can try to drive to the end of the third lake, but this is definitely a 4WD road. Between the 3rd and 4th lakes is a narrow, shallow channel, but is fine for a kayak or canoe.
Paddle down the channel toward the final lake. It narrows off and it was blocked by logs and debris at one point, so I got out to clear the passage before entering East Frogmoore Lake. Since there is not good road access into this lake, it has a wilderness feel and was very quiet. Lily pads filled the bays and a moose was grazing on the east shore.
Since the lake has been dammed to increase its size and lengthen its season, large bleached stumps stand near the shoreline in several areas.
Loons and osprey dived for fish and dragonflies hovered over the lily pads.
The shoreline of the lake and the channel makes about 5 km of paddling, but there is much to see and explore. Maybe we should keep this one a secret?
These are popular fishing lakes so if you want to paddle around the shoreline, pick a weekday or go there in shoulder season. Both have interesting shorelines to explore.
Jacko Lake
Paddle this lake before the new Ajax Mine opens. After that, it will be a disaster zone. Drive toward Lac le Jeune and just past Inks Lake, turn east on a gravel road. Follow the road to a grassy parking area and a good area to launch. The distance around the shoreline is 3.5km (if you go into all the small bays). Grasslands border the lake. On a windy day, the lake is down in a bowl so you will get some protection, but there are only a few trees so just stay close to the shoreline.
Roche Lake
Roche Lake lies at a higher elevation (3762 feet) than the grassland lakes below so is mostly surrounded by uplands forests. On a hot day, this is a good choice, but it also gets a lot of summer use since there are two BC Parks campsites, one on each side of the lake, a resort, and private cabins. We prefer to paddle Roche in the shoulder season. The distance around the shoreline is about 8.8 km.
These lakes are the domain of fishermen so give a wide berth to their boats and lines. Pick times that are less busy and respect the quiet of the lake.
All of the images need to be redone, which is planned….
We set a target of paddling on 40 lakes in our region, but the number will probably be closer to 60 by the time we finish. The lakes have to be big enough to provide a good workout, be within about a hour and half drive, and be reasonably free of power boats.
McConnell Lake
We like McConnell Lake. There are usually eagles, ospreys, and loons on the lake (and sometimes herons), but it is a small lake and it gets a fair number of fishermen, canoes, and kayaks. The parking area is a good one for a hand launch and it is an easy drive from town. We have to go around the 2.65 km lake shoreline twice to get a better workout, but it is a busy place on weekends (pick a weekday instead).
Stake Lake
We cross country ski, snowshoe, bike, hike, and run on the Stake Lake Trails, but we also go to Stake Lake to paddle once or twice each year. It is an easy drive and launch, and it is a good spot when larger lakes are too windy. There are usually not many boats on the lake. It is a shallow lake which makes interesting paddling.
The shoreline is an easy 2.4 km paddle so we paddle around the lake twice (once in each direction). There is an osprey nest on the east shore so we usually see the pair flying over the lake for fish.
Stake is a great spot for a double-outing so we often bring a bike or walking shoes along too, locking our boats on the rack while we do a loop on the trails.
Lac le Jeune
Lac le Jeune is one of our favorites. It is a large enough lake to get a good workout, there is lots of room for other boats, and there is a varied shoreline. We can also paddle under the bridge and do the little west lake, making the whole loop a 9.5 km paddle. Most types of kayaks are fine on Lac le Jeune, but on a windy day, the smaller boats are advised to stay close to shore. Since we camp at Lac le Jeune every year, we get several paddles on the area lakes, including an annual full lake loop.
We try to visit the swampy area at the far west end every year. If you glide quietly to the reeds, you will often spot a variety of birds. We usually go to the far east end too for the blooming lilies. Damselflies hatch in July and dragonflies come afterwards. Visiting blue damselflies on yellow lilies is a favorite annual ritual.
“What sets a canoeing expedition apart is that it purifies you more rapidly and inescapably than any other travel. Travel a thousand miles by train and you are a brute; pedal five hundred on a bicycle and you remain basically a bourgeois; paddle a hundred in a canoe and you are already a child of nature.” – Pierre Elliott Trudeau
I made a list of 40 local lakes to paddle and have chosen to do the shoreline of all of them. Monte Lake is accessed off a short side road on the way to Vernon, off highway 97 south. Right before the lake, turn right onto a gravel road and there are two launch spots on the north side of the lake.
The route around the lake is 7km, a decent paddle in a kayak. Along the east side is the highway and the noise is always there from every part of the lake. There is also considerable debris under the water and along the shoreline on the east side. On the other side is the railway track, a spur line connecting the CPR with the Okanagan, now rarely used. As I paddled this shore, I was disappointed to see how much railway debris was in the water and along the shoreline – ties, poles, steel plates, bolts, and maintenance cast-offs. Clearly little care for the environmental damage to the riparian zone and the lake itself was shown. There are still piles of creosoted ties next to the line, a fire hazard to the area, and damaging to the lake through run-off and leaching. Railway companies need to be more responsible for the environmental damage they do to our waterways.
The Kelowna-Pacific Railway is currently in receivership and it is unclear if the line will be active again in the future. The Kamloops Heritage Railway is not using the line in 2013. Maybe it is time to pull out the rails and clean up the line and make this into a multi-use trail, available to recreationalists, linking into the Trans Canada Trail to our south?
Monte Lake is a good place for a paddle as a workout, but it is not a peaceful location.
We have enjoyed the Six Mile area for quite a few years, orienteering, running, and hiking through the hills. In the middle of the area are 3 smaller lakes. The road starts just past the Tobiano turn-off. This gravel road is the old Trans Canada Highway which used to go up through the hills over to the Tunwka Road and down to Savona. When the Six Mile bypass was cut through the bluff, the old road was still there and today we can see paved sections, but most of the asphalt is breaking up. Then, Ducks Unlimited dammed and raised the level of Pat Lake and the Slough and sections of the road are now under water so rough side roads were created by users.
Much (most) of the land is owned by the Haywood Farmer families of Indian Gardens Ranch who have been generous in allowing anglers (and others) to continue to use the area for non-motorized recreation.
The Indian Gardens Ranch was one of the properties built up by Johnny Wilson, the “Cattle King” who also had properties near Walhachin, Six Mile Point, Westwold, Cache Creek, and Copper Creek. He married a Lillooet Indian girl who subsequently died and by about 1885 he married a girl from the Indian Gardens Ranch and had 3 children.
Wilson became a rich and influential man in his life and was well respected. He died in 1904 in a buggy accident and the Indian property was divided among his family. All the Savona properties were taken over by his wife Nancy and their children. According to Peggy Haywood Farmer, an Argentinean family named Hemstock bought the Indian Gardens Ranch from the Wilson’s daughter and George Haywood Farmer bought the land from the Hemstocks.
George Haywood Farmer was born in 1915 in New Westminster and moved with his family to the Interior of B.C. In 1932, they moved to the present location of the Indian Gardens Ranch, south of Savona. By 1935, he was a full time rancher and cowboy. Conditions were often hard in the early days. George and a partner at one time moved 50 head of cattle from Taylor Lake to Savona in -45 degree F temperatures. George married Peggy Higginson in 1942 and they raised six children together over the next 60 years. George was a leader in the ranching community, serving on the BC Cattlemen’s Association, 4H, and the Savona Community Association until his death in 2003 and has since been inducted into the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame. Peggy has been involved with the community in Savona, the Girl Guides (she has her 55 year pin and a lifetime membership), Sunday School, and the Savona Elementary School PTA.
Peggy recalled some of their years at Indian Gardens.
“We were snowed in every year by November. We had to get all of our supplies in by the fall. When I had my first baby, I had to travel by sledge down to Savona and take the train to Kamloops a month early just to make sure. George did manage to get the car through the snow the day was she was born and was there with me.
In the summer, we moved the whole family up to the summer range near Guichon Creek (3 miles west of Tunkwa Lake). We took the children, chickens, cows, ducks, horses, and cattle and whatever we needed to the high country. The travelling was hard, but our life was good. Later on, this did make it easier to backpack with the kids on camping trips.
We have been good caretakers of the land. We have preserved water. We reintroduced beavers back to the Tunkwa-Leighton Lakes area after trappers cleared them out. We planted clover in the high country for forage. We established water holes wherever we could. We have tried to get along with all the groups who have an interest in the area. We have set up and allowed access to Balancing Rock and Six Mile Lake and have worked with Ducks Unlimited. Our family continues to work the land and we have been good neighbors.” (written by the another for another publication)
We call the easternmost pond “Turtle Lake” because western painted turtles could be seen sunning themselves on logs on a sunny day. On this last visit to the pond, the pond levels had been increased and no logs were in sight, but a number of dabbling ducks were enjoying the still waters.
Pat Lake (Six Mile) is only a 2km paddle around the shoreline so I did it twice, changing direction after the first loop. The lake is surrounded by grasslands and has some marshy shallows. The water was clear and small fish could be seen in the pond weeds. This is a quiet spot for an afternoon paddling retreat.
“Launch quietly without a splash, turn the paddle and dip and cycle the stroke with rhythm, soundlessly cutting the rippled flatwater, close to the shoreline, observing, not intruding. Glide toward wildlife, camera ready, expectant, but never intrusive. See the pond reeds, aquatic plants, insects, and small fish, only known by silence and wonder. Allow yourself to become part of the marine ecology, just a small wave on the surface of the lake.” (das)
Pavilion Lake sits in Marble Canyon between Cache Creek and Lillooet. It is at the southern end of the Marble Range which runs north to Jesmond. It is in a karst formation of grey limestone, steep and ragged. The crystal blue waters of Pavilion Lake lie at the foot of the cliffs.
Not only are the waters of the lake crystal clear, they are also the home of freshwater microbialites, not found elsewhere except in very harsh environments. Microbialites are carbonate structures that form in water with the help of microorganisms. They are coral-like in their appearance. Go to the Pavilion Lake Research Project site for a fuller explanation (link).
We paddled out from the end of a small lane in the residential area. We paddled west to the marshy end of the lake and went down a narrow channel into the swamp, enjoying flowering aquatic plants, dragonflies, and marsh birds. BAck in the main lake, we then paddled downwind on this long, narrow lake.
A small offshore island made a good lunch spot. The shoreline between the road and the island is also the plunge/entry spot for divers who want to explore the microbialites below. We watched divers as they swam out to the deep water, their bubbles showing their route.
We continued down to the end of the lake and back where the cliffs of the Marble Range tower over the northeast shore.
On a warm sunny day, the azure skies, warm winds and blue-green water are a magical combination. We finished with a swim, cooling off after a 13 km paddle.
If you have stayed at Mile High Lodge, you may have been on Face Lake, but if not, it is hard to get to. Drive up the Paska Lake Road and not far past, the road ends at the Mile High Lodge. You may be able to park at the lodge and launch your boat, possibly for a fee, but if you want to find your own spot, you have to drive to the Face Lake Recreation Site on the northwest corner of the lake.
Right at the gate to the lodge, turn left onto a road that has a Dead-End sign at the start. A short ways up, look for another weather-beaten Face Lake sign that is easy to miss. This 2.2 km road is rough and is only suited to high-clearance vehicles. It eventually comes down to the Rec site where there are 2 camping spots and a hand launch.
With two arms at the north end, the lake offers more shoreline to explore, although some of it is in shallow water, fine for kayaks. The launch is off a grassy bank in a quiet bay.
A small islet lies at the entrance to the west arm. It has a trail and a small informal campsite.
Shallow areas had lily pads and smart weed in bloom. Caddis flies and water boatmen were in hatch and fish were jumping. Dragonflies combed the surface. Chuwhels Mountain stands over the eastern side of the lake. All was quiet. This is a pleasant 6 km paddle. When the valley heats up in the summer, the 4800 foot high plateau lake is cooler and the fish continue to feed.
Enter the water gently. Paddle easily, drifting often to observe the creatures of the lake and the hum of life, surrounded by the silent green forests.
Paska Lake is a higher plateau lake, attracting more fishermen in the middle of summer when the lower lakes are not very productive. To reach Paska, take the road to Logan Lake and turn north onto the Paska Lake Road and watch for the rec site 12 km up. A gravel boat launch makes a good spot to put a canoe or kayak into the water at this 4720 foot elevation lake. A paddle around the circumference is about 4.3 km. There is a lot of shallow water on this 50 hectare lake, perfect for exploration with a kayak.
This is a quiet spot mid-week, but the campsite can fill up on weekends and the quad squad takes over the hills. With about 40 lakes to paddle in within an hour’s drive, Paska is one more choice. best suited to a hot summer day.
Find a quiet day and follow the shoreline, leaving no trace but the ripples of the boat.
The launch for Clearwater Lake is 3 km up the road past the campground. Part of the reason for this is Osprey Falls. The Dragon Tongue lava flow blocked the Clearwater River (7600 years ago) and increased the size of Clearwater Lake, but the lava wall also created a waterfall 540m wide. For much of the year, it is a 3m drop, but in the spring the water backs up and the falls looks more like a large area of rapids. This view was from the Osprey Viewpoint on the Chain Lakes Trail.
Before the boat launch was built up the lake, a number of boats and swimmers had been swept over the falls. Even now, there is still a boat launch for Clearwater Lake Tours on the east shore. We paddled down to these docks by the campsite last year and hugged the shoreline to avoid being pulled downstream toward the falls.
This spring, I launched up the river and paddled down to look at the falls. The river starts to pull the kayak closer to the falls so when I felt the strong pull, I moved closer to the shoreline.
This is a pleasant 6km paddle. Just make sure you don’t paddle too close to the falls.
From Tranquille Bay or Cooney Bay, paddlers can follow the shoreline to Battle Bluff, which is a sheer face rising 1150 feet from the lake. The shoreline to the east is often protected from the wind, but there is usually some wind around the point. When there is no wind, the walls of the bluffs are reflected in the lake.
Paddling close to the rock, the reflection creates a strong optical illusion.
Sometimes it is hard for our eyes and our brains to make sense of the scene. How many logs?
The paddle around Cooney Bay and beyond to the end of Battle Bluff and back is an 8 km journey. On this last trip, bighorn sheep were grazing on the shoreline, ospreys were scouting for fish, mergansers perched on logs, poison ivy was spotted on the shoreline, Tranquille Creek was surging out into the bay, and eagles cirlced overhead. The lake can be very peaceful, but strong winds are always a possibility. Will the new marina at Tobiano bring more power boats into the lake?
Paddlers in the Kamloops area are blessed to have many paddling destinations within an hour's drive. There are more than 40 lakes within that radius, but the lakes must be big enough to get a good workout by going around the perimeter once or twice. Some of the lakes are large enough that it will take several trips to do the whole shoreline. If we paddle 50 times in a year, we can go onto sections of the river or one of the 40 lakes and paddle somewhere different every time. There area still a small number of lakes we haven't yet paddled on, but by the end of 2013, we will have done the perimeter of most of them. Shuswap Lake, Adams Lake, Nicola Lake and Okanagan Lake will take longer to complete.
The other challenge on some of the lakes is competition from other boats. We want to avoid big power boats or lakes that are full of people fishing, but that is mostly just picking the right time of day. Power boats rarely get out in the morning. Fishing is not good in the middle of the afternoon, so we paddle on the larger lakes in the morning and on the smaller lakes in the afternoon. We go to more remote spots in warmer weather.
And we have our favorites that will require multiple visits – Tranquille Bay, the North Thompson, Adams Lake, Heffley Lake, Johnson Lake, Campbell Lake, Azure Lake, Clearwater Lake, Murtle Lake, and the Shuswap River. We will feature some of these after paddling them. This week, we paddled Paul Lake, Badger Lake, and Stake Lake. If you don't have a kayak yet, it may be time.
