Moose Valley is located 22 km west of 100 Mile House, accessed by the Gustafson Lake Road.   The Moose Valley Access Road turns off and follows the chain of lakes to a campsite on Marks Lake.   The road does continue onto the end of Maitland Lake, but it is a rougher section.    Paddlers can start at either lake and work their way southeast to Canoe Lake.

Although all of the portages are short, they are not suitable for canoe or kayak carts.   Each boat will have to be carried to the next lake, pond, or waterway.   In spring, though, there is more water between the lakes allowing for paddling through wetlands or hand-lining in shallow areas.  There is one rocky portage near the Beaverlodge Lakes.

At the southeast end of the chain, the route goes from Long Lake to Moose Lake to Canoe Lake in a loop.   From the south end of Canoe Lake, there is a portage out to an access road for a second vehicle pick-up.

The lakes are shallow and don’t make great fishing.   After June 1st, mosquitoes are likely.   After August 1st the wetlands will be drier meadows so the ideal time would be in May.   Options include camping at Marks Lake and going right through in a long day or paddling part way through the chain and camping at rough campsites on Canoe Lake or Long Lake.   Another option is to go out and back in a day.

The through route is only 7.5 km end-to-end from Marks Lake to the portage out to the Gustafson Lake Road.   The advantage of doing it all in a day (or camping at the trailhead and doing it all in a day) is that the canoes or kayaks can go through the chain unloaded, making the portages much easier.

The right time to do this route is in May or early June to have higher water levels, low mosquito populations, relatively warm conditions, and spring birds and ducks along the way.    We haven’t done this route yet, but its on our list for this year.

More information:

• Moose Valley Provincial Park