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.