Ross Moore Lake can be hard to get to. We have skied and snowshoed into the lake in winter. We have biked into the lake from Lac le Jeune and run to the lake from a parking area area Fred Lake, but driving in with a kayak requires a circuitous route via the Long Lake Road. Most of the 15 km backroad route is unmarked so a good map or a GPS is helpful.
There is a small Recreation Site on the southeast corner of the lake for a hand launch.
The lake sits at 4185 feet (m) and a paddle around the shoreline is about 3 km.
Ross Moore is surrounded by high country forest with some swampy areas and some flooded trees along the shoreline. The Rocky Mountain Rangers cabin stands on the north shore of the lake
There were loons on the lake, killdeer on the shoreline, and deer along the route in. Although it is a bit of a journey in with a kayak, it is a nice lake for a shorter paddle on a summer or fall day.
Community Lake is acessed by driving up to Knouff Lake, then turning onto the Community Lake FSR. The backroad to the site is a good one, but there were lots of potholes over the last kilometer. The best launch spot is at the Community Lake Recreation Site.
The lake sits at 1370 meters (4500 feet) in high country forest, but the area has been extensively logged and replanted.
The paddle around the shoreline is 3.5 km. A few small islands make this an interesting route.
I spoke to a fisherman who had spotted a cougar earlier that morning. He said there was a cry from the bush, likely a kill for the predator.
From the lake the summit of Tod Mountain could be spotted to the east. Community Mountain is a sprawling high plateau between the Sullivan Range and Tod Mountain. The highest point is a forested crest at 1600m (5250 feet).
This is a quiet and pleasant spot for a summer or fall paddle.
We paddled Leighton Lake on a warm summer weekday. This popular fishing lake has a good boat launch for easy access.
In spring, summer and early fall, there are usually lots of ducks and geese on the lake, especially in shallow bays
Grasslands and high country forests surround Leighton and Tunkwa Lakes.
A rock bluff covered in orange crustose lichen can be found at the southwest corner of the lake
The loop around the shoreline of Leighton Lake is about 3.3 km, winding through each little bay.
Since Tunkwa and Leighton Lakes are popular fishing destinations, paddlers should pick non-prime times to avoid running into boats, lines, and concerned fishermen. Tunkwa was one of the lakes used for the World Fly Fishing Championship in 1993 and remains a productive and popular fishing lake.
“Tunkwa and Leighton Lakes lay approximately twenty minutes drive from either Savona or Logan Lake along a good gravel and dirt road. Tunkwa Lake Provincial Park s comprised of 5,100 hectares of grassland, forests, creeks, wetlands and lakes on the Thompson Plateau.
The area was used for hunting and fishing by First Nations peoples, but its elevation and long winters
discouraged permanent residence. A transportation corridor was likely used from Kamloops Lake up Durand Creek and down Guichon Creek towards the Nicola River for trade. The first mining claims were established in nearby Logan Lake as early as 1871, but little development occurred for the next ninety years. Full scale development of the mines nearby started up in the 1960s. There were some claims in the Tunkwa Lake area also, and there is a story that a trapper was paid to over-winter in a cabin near the lakes just to protect the claim. Winters are long in this high country!
The area was used by ranchers and homesteaders early in the twentieth century in the Meadow Creek area, the Guichon Creek Valley and in some of the grassland areas toward Tunkwa and Leighton Lakes. Ranching continues to be active in these highland plateaus.
Tunkwa and Leighton Lakes were made larger by damming the outlets. Downstream grazing lands benefit from a summer supply of water from these reservoirs. This occurred as early as 1909 when James Leighton funded a project to use the headwaters of Guichon Creek. By putting a ditch into Tunkwa Lake and anotherat Leighton Lake, with dams on both to feed Durand Creek as needed, he was able to provide irrigation and domestic water for the ranches on the southern hills
above Savona. James Leighton came from Scotland to California in the 1850s and then moved to Vancouver Island. He went on to Barkerville, then Lytton with his uncle while still a teenager. He became an agent for Barnard’s Express, and then moved to Cache Creek where he and his new
wife took care of the telegraph. In 1881 he received the contract to carry the weekly mail from Cache Creek to Kamloops and on to Spallumcheen. They movedo Savona and over time Leighton took up ranching,acquiring 1,800 acres, with another 2,400 acres leased. He took on the task of running the ferry at Savona, was District cattle overseer, Fisheries Officer and superintendent of the B.C. Express. In James’ retirement he published some of his reminiscences in The Sentinelnewspaper in Kamloops. He passed away in 1945 at the age of 94.
Tunkwa Lake was named after the Indian word “Toonkwa” which means Goose Lake. It was established as a Provincial Park in 1996 out of recommendations from a Provincial Management Plan process for the area. The lake features one of the top ten fisheries in the province, specializing in the famous Kamloops fighting trout. The two lakes also provide stock for other lakes in British Columbia. There are extensive grasslands surrounding the lake, with bluegrass, rough fescue, needle-and-thread and blue bunch wheatgrass. Grassland birds like meadowlarks, curlews, killdeer and vesper sparrows nest in the spring. Riparian zones, swamps and ponds are home to waterfowl such as ducks, geese, loons,grebes and sandpipers. The surrounding forests are habitat for moose, deer, bears, coyotes, lynx, bobcat, cougars, rabbits, marmots, eagles, kestrels and grouse. Campers can stay at either Tunkwa or Leighton Lake and a total of 275 sites are available for fishermen, hunters, ATVers, hikers and geocachers, and anyone who loves the outdoors. Recreationalists can visit nearby Logan Lake for supplies and services.
There are 3 access points to launch a boat on Kamloops Lake – Savona, Tobiano, and Cooney Bay. To paddle into Cooney Bay, drive to Tranquille, but stay left and drive to the end of the bumpy road. From the parking lot, boats have to be hauled down to the edge of the river through the cottonwoods. From the beach paddlers can launch into the river to get around the point past the outlet of Tranquille Creek and into Cooney Bay.
Even on a windy day, Cooney Bay is partly sheltered by bluffs. Rocky hills and dry slopes rise above the north side of the lake. This is a good area to spot bald eagles, ospreys, loons, and sometimes pelicans.
A great blue heron launched from the beach as we paddled down to Battle Bluff.
The paddle around the bay and down to the rocky cliffs of Battle Bluff is 3.2 km. Winds may be stronger around the first part of Battle Bluff, but if not, the additional distance is another 1 km. A return shoreline paddle is 8.4 km. The shoreline past Battle Bluff is less interesting. On a calm day we have also crossed the lake and have done a loop route.
We spotted a number of birds from our kayaks, including one of the newly-fledged immature eagles from the aerie near Battle Bluff.
Kamloops Lake is not a good choice for most paddlers on a windy day, but on a calm day, the paddling is excellent and there will likely be no one around, especially on a weekday.
The whole area is very scenic and worth the extra effort to get the boats down to the shoreline and back.
While paddling and hiking on Salt Spring Island, we launched out of Fulford Harbour. We were able to hand launch in low and hide tide from a point along the Isabella Point Road. Drummond Park is also fine for launching, but only at high tide. At the other spot 1.8 km along the road, we were able to drive right onto the beach for an easy launch and landing (at N48 45.480 W123 26.992).
On a windy day, paddlers can stay in the harbour going up one shore and back by the other for about 7.3 km. The ferry uses this harbour too, but the smaller ferry has a small wake and poses no problem.
We paddled out along the western shoreline and around the corner of Isabella Point for a return paddle of 10 to 15 km. The paddle along the other shoreline and out towards Beaver Point and back is about 16 m.
The crossing over to Portland Island (Gulf Islands National Park) is about 12 km return. To go right around the island and back is about 18 km. This route involves crossing Satellite Channel which is the main route for all the ferries. If paddlers try this route, they should bring a marine radio and tune in to Channel 11. There are 3 campsites on the island for a marine basecamp adventure (link to more information).
We enjoyed the south end of Salt Spring Island for its quieter roads, forested trails and scenic coastline using both Ruckle Park and Fulford Harbour as launch spots.
Between Sullivan Lake (Knouff) and Badger Lake is another shallow lake. Official topographic maps label it as Knouff Lake but the locals call it Little Knouff Lake. Sullivan (Knouff) Lake got its name from James Knouff who built a log cabin on the shore near the Knouff Lake Resort. Later, Sullivan Mill was established on the shore and the owner asked for the name to be changed. Locals still call it Knouff Lake though.
There are a couple of homes on the east side of the lake and a gavel road on the west side where a vehicle can be parked next to s short steep trail for a one-boat launch and in this case, a stand-up paddleboard.
The lake is shallow for almost the entire area, except for a deeper spot on the northwest side.
Taking photos from a paddleboard is never easy. The best system is to sit down to get an on-the-water shot.
The distance around the shoreline is 2.5 km.
In late season the lake is so shallow that care must be taken not to catch the fin (or kayak rudder) on sunken logs and vegetation.
Little Knouff Lake is not a destination lake for paddling, but if we are trying to complete 100 lakes in our area, it is one more to try.
Stump Lake is a great lake to paddle when it is not too windy. If paddlers just opt to drive there without checking the forecasts, they may be facing difficult conditions since it is a windy area, a favorite for windsurfers. Generally speaking it is calmer in the morning and winds pick up by 11:30 in the morning. It is always best to do a final check on the weather forecast the night before when wind speeds are also provided. The best launch spot on Stump Lake is halfway down the lakeshore on the west side.
Since the lake is 19km around the shoreline, we opted to do the south end one day (link) and the north end another day.
Paddling up the eastern shore, looking back at the western hills, summer-yellowed grassland slopes frame the basin of the lake.
A few homes are located on the lake, but most are set back, higher up the slope on level ground. On the west side are reedy shallows below the highway.
Although winds were forecast to arrive in the afternoon, the day was sunny and calm during the morning paddle. Ducks, blackbirds, and marsh wrens were in motion in the reed beds at the north end and in shallow bays. Ospreys hunted overhead, ready to dive, beating the fishermen to a catch. Dragonflies and blue damselflies flitted over the lake’s surface, combing for the most recent hatch, caddisflies newly emerging on the shoreline. The clear water of the lake is a refreshing change from the darker, millfoil-choked lakes of the highlands.
horsetails on the shoreline
launch at N50 21.791 W120 22.760
For kayakers who want a longer paddle with easy shoreline access, a nice setting and not too many boats, Stump Lake is a great choice. Just check the wind forecast first.
Bleeker Lake is a short drive north of Roche Lake. Turn left at the signed Bleeker Lake Forest Service Road before coming to the main right turn to Roche Lake. The end of the lake is only 1 km, but the best place to launch is another kilometer along the north side of the lake at the Bleeker Lake Recreation Site.
It is a long narrow lake offering 5.2 km of paddling.
The two ends of the lake are shallow with lots of millfoil, smartweed, duckweed, and some summer algae growth. Leeches and small fish were visible in the shallows. Ducks, kingfishers, and least sandpipers were also spotted darting in and out of the shallows areas. A number of bleached deadfall snags have fallen into the lake, especially on the south shoreline.
The morning paddle was on a calm, sunny day. A few fishermen were out on the lake too. This is an accessible, quiet lake for paddlers and worth a drive up to the high country. Paddling these upland lakes can be a session of environmental meditation (but watch our for deadheads and cluttered shallows).
Dunn Lake is a picturesque long lake set among steep-sided mountains. To get to Dunn Lake, we went to Little Fort and used the Little Fort Reaction Ferry service, then followed the 7 km gravel road to the Joseph Creek Valley on the north end of the lake.
Right at the junction of roads at the north end of the lake is the Dunn Lake Recreation Site. The launch area is the gravel beach at the bottom of a short, but steep and rough track . We were able to drive down (4WD back up), but low clearance vehicles may want to carry boats down to the water.
There are a small number of seasonal cabins at either end of the lake, but the east and west sides of the lake are unspoiled. We paddled down the deep lake on one side and came back on the other, a 10.3 km route.
There were no winds on this day so the reflections of the hills and the sky made for a tranquil paddle.
Eagles flew overhead, swooping down for fish. Damselflies skittered over the water, hunting for flies. A family of ducks dabbled in the water on the shoreline. Loons called across the Dunn Lake Valley. On a weekday in summer, there were no boats on the lake except for our quiet kayaks.
Roads from Clearwater and from Barriere also lead to Dunn Lake, but there was little traffic in this back valley on the day we were there. We will be returning next month to drive part way up Baldy Mountain which stands above the east shore of Dunn Lake. Our scheduled hike to the top of Baldy will offer views of the lake from above and higher yet, views the other way to the Dunn Peaks and the ranges to the north and east.
After paddling Pillar Lake in the morning, we drove up into the Fly Hills to paddle Bolean Lake. From Falkland, drive south and turn left onto Silvernail Road. Not far up the sidehill, turn left onto (signed) Bolean Forest Service Road and climb the narrow, steep road for 9.5 km. Once onto the Fly Hills Plateau the road levels out. At a signed side road for the Bolean Lake Lodge, turn left. Pass the Lodge and continue along a rough road to the Bolean Lake Recreation Site. There is a good hand launch site there.
Bolean Lake is surrounded by uplands damp forest. The paddle around the shoreline is about 4.2 km.
There were storm clouds all around and some lightning was flashing to both the east and west, but the paddle around the lake was otherwise quiet. A blue heron stood in the shallows, a loon was diving in the lake, and an osprey cruised over the lake looking for fish.
A short distance away are Arthur Lake and Spa Lakes, locations for future paddling explorations.
Pillar Lake is located 11 km north of Falkland. A BC Recreation site right next to the road provides a good launch spot for canoes and kayaks.
Pillar Lake is a narrow lake, but paddlers can cover 5 km by going up one shore and back on the other shore.
Pillar Lake Resort has the only set of buildings on the east side of the lake and there is only one home on the other side of the lake, set high on a hill. For the most part the lake is surrounded by steep forested hills.
From the lake, the Pillar Lake hoodoo (pillar) can be seen standing above the forest on the east side. The trail to the pillar is right above the boat launch.
the pillar
Pillar Lake is an enjoyable lake for an easy day of paddling. We chose to paddle two lakes that day to add some extra distance, driving up to Bolean Lake afterwards before returning home.
Ruckle Provincial Park is a popular camping location on Salt Spring, but the rocky shores make launching and landing difficult, especially for the longer ocean kayaks. Paddling books and websites suggest launching in Fulford or Ganges Harbor, but we found a spot in the park that works fine, with a bit of extra work. We parked at the day-use area and hauled our boats across the lawn, then down a narrow steep path to a small gravel cove.
We were able to launch and land there, even at low tide. From there, we went around Beaver Point then southwest around Eleanor Point toward Fulford Harbor.
This is a scenic route, passing rocky bluffs and small islets. Seals appeared briefly in the water and several were basking in the sun on Jackson Rock.
We were able to land on shell beaches on islets too to take a break and to explore tidal pools. We were amused by the spelling on the sign and we decided to rename the islet “Shoelace Eyelet.”
We enjoyed paddling in Fulford Harbor and returned to paddle there twice more in the week. The only boat we encountered in the Harbour was the ferry to Syndey. We were surprised by how quiet it was and how small a wake it left. Fulford Harbour was a quiet and pleasant paddle each day.
From this launch we could also explore Portland Island to the southeast or Prevost Island (Gulf Islands National Park) to the north, planned for future trips to the southern Gulf Islands.
Nicola Lake is windy enough for the Interior sailing community to have based their activities on the lakeside for 20+ years. The lake is often too windy for paddling, but we can watch the wind forecast and we can pick days to paddle earlier in the morning before afternoon winds arise.
The north end of the lake makes a nice, partly-protected 8-9 km paddle, paddling around both shorelines in a loop.
The lake has steep cliffs on the west side and sloping grasslands on the west side. If conditions are calm enough to appreciate the views, this is a scenic paddling area.
The north end of the lake gives way to wetlands and farmlands.
Along the shoreline red ossier dogwood was in bloom, rabbit brush was starting to flower, and late season wildflowers covered the banks.
red ossier dogwood flowers
red ossier dogwood berries
rabbit brush
common weed with delicate flowers
There is a good launch spot just off the highway with lots of parking. There are more launch spots near the south end too so paddlers can pick one section of the lake and return to Nicola Lake for another day (the entire shoreline is 43 km around).
Salt Spring Island can be used as a basecamp for kayaking in the Gulf Islands. Some of the areas to paddle include Fulford Harbour, Long Harbour, Ganges Harbour, Prevost Island, Wallace Island, and coastline sections wherever a good launch can be found. Paddling out of Ganges Harbour is a good choice early in the morning before the crowds come to the markets and parking will be impossible, let alone getting the boats down to the water. We chose a weekday morning and parked at Centennial Park, hauling boats down the Ganges Centennial Harbour concrete ramp (with permission from the Harbour Authority). We launched into calm waters behind the 150m breakwater, paddling out the entrance channel among a wide assortment of moored vessels.
Ganges Harbour is a busy place and there were many boats heading out and coming in and float planes landing and taking off. The winds were strong from the west too so we had to work hard through incoming waves, watching for all the traffic on the go. By taking a route close to the islands, we had some protection from the wind. Our destination was the Third Sister Island where there is a crushed shell beach on the northwest end of the island.
Locals call this spot Chocolate Beach. We were pleased to be the only visitors to the beach at this time. It can be a busy spot with boaters landing on the beach at high tide on weekends. A trail climbs up the spine of the island with a unique outhouse along the way.
We had lunch on the white shell beach and explored a bit before heading back to Ganges.
This 7 km paddle is the same one that kayak companies offer their clients for a day excursion. On a less windy day, we would have explored the shoreline beyond the islands, but we chose to head back with the winds behind us, staying close to the islands as power boats, fishing boats, water taxis, tugs, float planes, and ferries passed our kayaks.
There are two or three other launch spots for the harbour – one behind Moby’s Pub, one at the end of Churchill Road, and a couple of hand launch spots only suitable for high tide. On a calm day, paddlers could go around into Welbury Bay or Long Harbor (about 10+ km each way or along the south shore toward Yeo Point (10km each way) and beyond to Prevost Island.
We paddled several other spots off the coast of the island and found Fulford Harbour to be the most enjoyable. The whole south end of the island was less busy, but still very scenic.
Kayaking the Gulf Islands requires some good research about launch spots (for both high and low tides), wind and weather forecasts, local currents and open channel conditions, and good kayaks suitable for ocean paddling. Salt Spring Island is a good spot for exploration and we will return to paddle and camp on Prevost and Wallace Islands on a future trip.
The campground at Kentucky and Alleyne Lakes is a good spot for a quiet retreat near smaller lakes, with some pleasant trails and paddling opportunities. We paddled both Kentucky and Alleyne Lakes in the same day.
There are launch spots on both lakes from the campground. the paddle around Kentucky Lake is 4km and the paddle around Alleyne Lake is 3.7 km. Both lakes have a turquoise color and white-mud shoals.
Seven loons escorted us around Alleyne Lake after lunch.
The north end of the lakes is grasslands and part of the Douglas Lake Cattle Company.
The south end of the lakes is surrounded by forest. Both lakes are worth a trip for a day of paddling or for anyone wanting to camp in a pleasant spot in the Southern Interior.
Although we have kayaked most of the lake in the Kamloops area, we have not paddled the smaller lakes with our longer boats. These were saved for outings on a stand-up paddle board. The shoreline of McQueen Lake is about 3km around if we include all the shallow bays.
There are a couple of launch spots just below the Isobel Lake Road providing access into the shallow, mud-bottom lake.
There were some ducks in the shallows and a loon out in the deeper part of the lake. A few marsh wrens and blackbirds were in the reedy areas around the southwest and northeast corner.
There was no one around on a cloudy weekday in July. The lake was peaceful and calm. Much of the lake is quite shallow, but the water was clear. Lots of little swimmers could be seen from the SUP above and a recent hatch provided flies on the surface of the lake, but there were no mosquitoes out.
We have paddled Lac du Bois, Pass Lake, Isobel Lake, and now McQueen Lake. Griffin Lake and Noble Lake are planned for another venture on the SUP.
There is a small Recreation Site on the southeast corner of the lake for a hand launch.
The lake sits at 4185 feet (m) and a paddle around the shoreline is about 3 km.
Ross Moore is surrounded by high country forest with some swampy areas and some flooded trees along the shoreline. The Rocky Mountain Rangers cabin stands on the north shore of the lake
