Murtle Lake is one of our favorite lakes to paddle, but its a more challenging journey to tackle. It is the largest non-motorized lake in North America, but its also hard to get onto the lake. We hope to return to kayak the lake in the upcoming year.
A new information page on Murtle Lake has been added to the website – Murtle Lake. (click the link)
Pages on specific lakes include directions, access, launch area, paddling the lake, pros and cons of the lake, images, maps, and links for more information.
Some images taken by the author are shared here. Click an image for a lightbox (larger) view and a caption.
sunset from Leo Island
the West Arm
Leo Island from Central Mountain
sunset from Birch Beach
the Wavy Range
Central Mountain from the kayak
Diamond Lagoon
Wavy Range from Fairy Island
Tropicana
Leo Island landing
on the lake
sunset
More pages are being added each month. More paddling lakes pages can be found here.
Access to Frisken Lake is limited to 4WD vehicles. I had hiked in previously so I knew what the roads were like. To get to the lakeshore, we need to drive the Smith Lake FSR on the west side of Roche Lake. When the gravel road goes under the power lines, a rough road follows the power line, bearing north. It climbs over a rough hill and then another rough road turns right and goes to Frisken Lake. I could have driven the roads in, but I am wary of the amount of wear and tear on the older truck. I chose to park by the power line, then backpack my folding kayak and gear in to the lake (1.5 km each way).
Frisken Lake is a nice spot to paddle or fish. It has marshy sides and is surrounded by forest.
I assembled my folding kayak, the paddled around the shoreline (2.5 km).
There was no one in the area, the lake was calm and peaceful, and I enjoyed watching the ducks, loons, and lakeside birds.
Frisken Lake is the eighth lake I have paddled in Roche Lakes Provincial Park. There are still more, but they will require a longer backpack to get a boat in. I have hiked them, so I know what will be required, but Bulman Lake and Ernest Lake will remain on the list for a future backpack.
On a greyish spring day I drove from the TransCanada Highway up the rough Six Mile backroad to Pat Lake. I kayaked around the lake twice (about one hour of paddling), then secured the boat and hiked up into the hills. Pat Lake is a popular fishing lakes, especially in the early season since it is one of the first ice-off fishing lakes. The lake is surrounded by rocky hills in a grasslands zone. Six Mile Hill stands above the lakes to the north, overlooking Kamloops Lake. The lake has good access for launching a boat and parking and it is a scenic spot, but it is a smaller lake.
There was a couple of fishing boats on the lake, but I kept out of their way by paddling the shoreline, once in each direction.
There were ducks on the lake, an insect hatch, a killdeer, and many swallows swooping across the lake. It is a quiet and peaceful spot.
After paddling around the lake twice, I hiked to the top of Six Mile Hill and back in an eclectic loop route. Another fine day of paddling and hiking…
On a calm day with mild temperatures I drove out to Scotch Creek Provincial Park paddled from the boat launch area over to Copper Island
I kayaked around the south side of the island and then landed on the east side landing area.
I secured the boat and the gear, put on a pair of hiking shoes and then hiked the 2.6 km Copper Island Trail.
The double loop route was 7.25 km. This is a very nice outing on a calm day in spring. I don’t recommend starting in the afternoon on a busy summer day.
During September a few years ago, we traveled to Murtle Lake before smoky conditions in smothered the area and we decided to shorten our time there once the smoke moved in. On the second day we paddled the west end of the west arm of Murtle Lake. We launched from Birch Beach and paddled past Smoker Island. The wide bay at the mouth of File Creek and Anderson Creek is shallow and muddy so we kept our distance from the treed shoreline. The distance from Birch Beach to the landing at Diamond Lagoon was about 7.5 km.
At the end of the previous day and in the early morning, there was some smoke, but there was also some clearer skies too. We got an early start to take advantage of calm conditions on the lake.
The mountains to the north of Anderson Lake and Anderson Creek are part of the Mobley Range. There is a trail to Anderson Lake, but access to Mobley Mountain would be bushwhacking.
There is also a trail to a launch at File Creek. the river can be paddled for about 4 km upstream. McDougall Lake is another 5 km beyond. Draining into File Creek is Kostal Creek, running down from Kostal Lake (6km from the confluence). An old trail can be hiked to Kostal Lake, but it is mostly impassable at this time. The Goat Peaks rise north of File Creek.
We entered Diamond Lagoon by paddling a short distance down the Murtle River. The lagoon area is through a lava field. At the end of Diamond Lagoon are rapids on the river. A sign warns paddlers not to pass the sign.
A rough landing can be made on the south shore. A trail follows the river down to McDougall Falls.
We landed in a small bay below the Diamond Lagoon shelter. We had lunch and explored the area a bit. The shelter would be welcome in the rain or the cold, but it is a bit primitive otherwise. There was an outhouse and a bear cache there for campers.
The smoke continued to roll in as we paddled back along the south shore of the lake.
We paddled past the Tropicana Campsite and then across the lake to our own campsite, a total of 16 km.
On a day with better conditions, we would have hiked down to the falls and back, but paddling in the smoke limits the views, but it also takes a toll on the lungs. We spent 3 day at Murtle Lake, but we plan to return to do some more hiking in the area, perhaps in the North Arm next time.
Note – this was posted on KamloopsTrails.net but as I wind down that site, I am transfering kayaking posts to this site.
Although the Stake Lake Rec Site is officially “closed” because of the Ross Moore Lake wildfire, the gate to the parking area is open and lots of people are fishing or paddling the lake, and hiking, walking and biking the inner trails. On a cloudy but mild September day I launched my kayak into the lake and paddled around the shoreline.
There was a breeze on the lake, but not enough to deter me from a great day of paddling on the lake. I paddled around twice, once in each direction. That takes about an hour.
After paddling, I secured the boat on the roof rack, then hiked around the lake, mostly using single tracks where available.
After a period of extended drought the forest is still very dry. A few shrubs and perennials were still green if they were near water.
This is a favorite, three times around Stake Lake. We will do this again in the fall.
Some moments of the three loops are shared here in a short YouTube video:
During September a few years ago, we traveled to Murtle Lake before smoky conditions in smothered the area and we decided to shorten our time there once the smoke moved in. On the second day we paddled the west end of the west arm of Murtle Lake. We launched from Birch Beach and paddled past Smoker Island. The wide bay at the mouth of File Creek and Anderson Creek is shallow and muddy so we kept our distance from the treed shoreline. The distance from Birch Beach to the landing at Diamond Lagoon was about 7.5 km.
At the end of the previous day and in the early morning, there was some smoke, but there was also some clearer skies too. We got an early start to take advantage of calm conditions on the lake.
The mountains to the north of Anderson Lake and Anderson Creek are part of the Mobley Range. There is a trail to Anderson Lake, but access to Mobley Mountain would be bushwhacking.
There is also a trail to a launch at File Creek. the river can be paddled for about 4 km upstream. McDougall Lake is another 5 km beyond. Draining into File Creek is Kostal Creek, running down from Kostal Lake (6km from the confluence). An old trail can be hiked to Kostal Lake, but it is mostly impassable at this time. The Goat Peaks rise north of File Creek.
We entered Diamond Lagoon by paddling a short distance down the Murtle River. The lagoon area is through a lava field. At the end of Diamond Lagoon are rapids on the river. A sign warns paddlers not to pass the sign.
A rough landing can be made on the south shore. A trail follows the river down to McDougall Falls.
We landed in a small bay below the Diamond Lagoon shelter. We had lunch and explored the area a bit. The shelter would be welcome in the rain or the cold, but it is a bit primitive otherwise. There was an outhouse and a bear cache there for campers.
The smoke continued to roll in as we paddled back along the south shore of the lake.
We paddled past the Tropicana Campsite and then across the lake to our own campsite, a total of 16 km.
On a day with better conditions, we would have hiked down to the falls and back, but paddling in the smoke limits the views, but it also takes a toll on the lungs. We spent 3 day at Murtle Lake, but we plan to return to do some more hiking in the area, perhaps in the north arm next time.
Chuwhels Lake is in a remote spot between Greenstone Mountain and Chuwhels Mountain. It is accessed by driving up the Greenstone Mountain Road for 15.5 km then turning onto the Chuwhels Road. A 1 km track (unsigned) bears east to Chuwhels Lake.
I put my folding kayak into a pack and hiked in to the lake. The track is driveable, but a bit rough. It is a dammed lake and the lake was down, mostly from evaporation. I assembled the kayak then paddled around the lake, then hiked back out.
Some images from the pack and paddle are shared here. Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.
Chuwhels Lake track
folding kayak at Chuwhels Lake
Chuwhels Lake
Some of the moments of hiking and kayaking are found in this YouTube video:
Pemberton Lake is located in the hills to the north of Pinantan Lake. It is a small lake with a primitive Rec Site and a rough 1 km road, accessed from the Hyas Lake Forest Service Road.
I put my folding kayak into a pack and hiked in to the lake.
The launch area is muddy, although there are some firmer spots to the east. I paddled around the lake, repacked the kayak, then hiked back out.
There were fish in the lake and there was an osprey in residence and loons on the lake. There was no one else on the track, nor on the lake.
A few moments of the pack and paddle are found in this YouTube video:
Over the winter I purchased a folding kayak so that I could use a backpack to hike to hard-to-get-to-lakes with a kayak. The first lake for this adventure was Island Lake, a grasslands lake in the middle grasslands of Lac du Bois Protected Area.
With the backpack on, i hiked from the trailhead to the lake on a faint single track and across the grasslands hills to the lakeshore, about 800m.
At the lakeshore I assembled the folding kayak (the Oru Inlet). I paddled around the lakeshore,a 1.2 km route.
The ducks were surprised by my boat, likely the only boat to have ever been on this remote lake.
A few moments of the hike and the paddle are captured in this YouTube video:
More backpack and paddle outings are planned for the spring, summer, and fall.
Over the winter I purchased a folding kayak so that I could use a backpack to hike to hard-to-get-to-lakes with a kayak. The first lake for this adventure was Island Lake, a grasslands lake in the middle grasslands of Lac du Bois Protected Area.
With the backpack on, i hiked from the trailhead to the lake on a faint single track and across the grasslands hills to the lakeshore, about 800m.
At the lakeshore I assembled the folding kayak (the Oru Inlet). I paddled around the lakeshore,a 1.2 km route.
The ducks were surprised by my boat, likely the only boat to have ever been on this remote lake. All photos by the author. Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.
A few moments of the hike and the paddle are captured in this YouTube video:
More backpack and paddle outings are planned for the spring, summer, and fall.
I have paddled over 100 lakes in the area. Some have easy access, some have longer drives, some are accessed by rougher roads, and some have difficult access. When it comes to rough roads and difficult access, the issues are wear and tear on the truck, risks of getting stuck, and difficulty of access to the lake. There are a number of lakes that I have done once or twice, but I am reluctant to repeat the journey. There are a few lakes that I just haven’t done because of road and shoreline access issues. There are a couple of roads that are driveable, but not with an 18 foot kayak on top. So, I can limit the lakes I do, or I can use another solution.
One solution is to hike into lakes with a portable kayak (inflatable or foldable) to paddle the lake. To that end, I have a foldable kayak, the Oru Bay.
In 2023 there are a number of lakes that will be hiked to, then paddled:
Roche Lake Provincial Park – Black Lake, John Frank Lake, Ernest Lake, Bulman Lake, and Frisken Lake
Surrey Lake Area – Frogmoore Lakes, Bob Lake, Helmer Lakes
Monte Hills Area – Pratt Lake, Todd Lake, Blackwell Lake
Lac le Jeune Area – Fred Lake, Ridge Lake
Greenstone Mountain – Chuwhels Lake, Dairy Lakes
Lac du Bois – Long Lake, Griffin Lake, Noble Lake, Clay Lake, …
Knouff Lake – Little Knouff Lake, Orchard Lake
Bonaparte Plateau – Whitewood Lake, Windy Lake, Alder Lake
Neskonlith – Sun Peaks – Amphitheater Lake, Skmana Lake, Dennis Lake
Highway 24 – many small lakes
Pimainus Area – many smaller lakes
Hyas Lake area – some smaller lakes
And others….
All photos taken by the author. Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.
Long Lake
Frogmoore Lake
Orchard Lake
Chuwhels Lake
Ernest Lake
Fred Lake
Adler Lake
Blackwell Lake
Griffin Lake
Each day will be a hike to the lake, a paddle around the lake (possibly twice) and a hike back out. What could be more fun?
On a cloudy summer day the plan was for a “duathlon” – a paddle around McConnell Lake followed by a hike around the lake.
McConnell Lake boat launch
It was an early start and there was only one other boat on the lake.
On McConnell Lake
The paddle around the lake was 3 km. After securing the boat, and changing to hiking shoes, the hike around the lake was 3.5 km.
Similar paddle and hike combinations are part of the summer routine. Other locations include Stake Lake, Lac le Jeune, Paul Lake, Isobel Lake, McQueen Lake, and Roche Lake.
This year I have been doing more paddle and hike combinations. On a mid-September day I paddled twice around Stake Lake, then hiked 6.5 km on the trails.
Calm conditions and scattered clouds resulted in lots of reflections and steady paddling around the lake. Click or tap an image for a lightbox view.
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The hike was on double tracks to the northeast end of McConnell Hill, then a little-known track, to an area I have usually called The Basalt Amphitheater:
More paddle-and-hike outings are planned before the end of the season.
A paddle and hike duathlon was a good choice for a warm summer day. A paddle around Stake Lake was followed by a hike on the Giant Firs Trail. The big trees on the trail are a welcome sight in both summer and winter.
Some moments of both activities are found in this short video:
A favorite combination for summer recreation is to paddle a lake, then hike around it. In August I launched my kayak and paddled the 3 km loop around the lake.
After securing the boat, I hiked the 3.5 km trail around the lake, enjoying some of the larger douglas fir trees by the single-track trail.
There were a few hikers and dog-walkers on the trail and a couple of boats out on the water, but it was a quiet day at McConnell Lake.
This year we have paddled the lake twice, we snowshoed the area twice, and we have hiked the lake loop, each time enjoying the high country forests.
This grove leads to a shortcut trail down to the Dogwood Marshes.
Some video footage was taken during the paddle and the hike, now available on YouTube:
Other paddle-hike locations include Stake Lake, Isobel Lake, Lac le Jeune, Paul Lake, and a number of other lakes that have trails nearby.
