On a calm early April day we launched our kayaks from Cooney Bay and paddled into the rivers flow, down to the lake. We rounded the corner and followed the shoreline of Cooney Bay. Our route continued past a few fishermen, rocky bluffs, gravely and shingled shoreline beaches, and railway fixtures toward Battle Bluff. We passed the tunnel under the … Continue reading →
In the right conditions paddling on the Thompson Rivers is great in March. On this mid-March day, there was no wind and blue skies. I paddled west from Pioneer Park, going under the Red Bridge, then the Black (CN) Bridge before passing through the Confluence. The river is quite low at this time of year and there are gravel bars … Continue reading →
One of the lakes we return to paddle each year is Badger Lake. Access to the lake is either past Knouff Lake (7 km) on a bumpy back road, or up the Orchard Lake Road (13 km) from Highway 5 North. The road goes up the east side of Badger Lake to a B.C. Rec Site. There is now a … Continue reading →
We try to add new lakes and rivers to our paddling experiences every year, but those make for long days of travel, so we often return to some of the same lakes each year. McGillivray Lake is a spot that we paddle every year. It takes about an hour to get there with 6 km on a gravel road from … Continue reading →
Painted Bluffs Provincial Park lies on the north side of Kamloops Lake east of Copper Creek. Access by land is difficult, but it can be done from the Copper Creek Road just below the Sabiston Creek Road junction (link). We have been in to Painted Bluffs five times in the last 2 years, with the last time by kayak from … Continue reading →
On a late summer sunny day, I drove all the way up the Deadman Valley and paddled Vidette Lake. It is a 56 km drive up the gravel road from the Trans Canada Highway. Because it is a scenic route with many places to explore, I return most years, choosing different lakes and different hikes each time. We have previously … Continue reading →
Tsintsunko Lake Provincial Park is a 333 hectare park on the Bonaparte Plateau at an elevation of 1603 m (5260 feet). The B.C. Parks lands are along the eastern side of the lake and adjacent interconnected wetlands. The area to the west has been extensively logged. Access is on a combination of Forest Service Roads (Jamieson Creek Road > Deadman … Continue reading →
We paddle Scuitto and Campbell Lake each and every year, but we try to schedule Campbell Lake for late August or September to paddle with the pelicans and sandhill cranes. Campbell Lake is at the end of the Scuitto Forest Service Road, a 14 km bumpy backroad. There is a BC Recreation Site on the south shore of … Continue reading →
Palmer Meadows Lake lies in the hills east of Stump Lake, not far from Dardanelles Lake. It is a dammed lake with the reservoir benefiting waterfowl and ranchers that need summer irrigation. The dam has created a larger lake, flooding copses, meadows, marshes, and low areas. Access is by backroads (Old Kamloops Road > Fraser Road > … Continue reading →
Bleeker Lake is a long narrow lake located just north of Roche Lake. To get to the lakeshore, drive up the Roche Lake Road and then turn left onto the Bleeker Lake FSR (3 km before Roche). Follow the bumpy 2WD road to the west end of the lake. There is access to the lake off a side road, close … Continue reading →
In late summer or early fall we often drive through Barnhartvale to the Robbins – Campbell Range Road, then onto the Scuitto Lake Forest Service Road to launch a kayak in each lake. In August and September we expect to encounter birds on the lake – pelicans, sandhill cranes, herons, eagles, loons, kingfishers, ducks, yellowlegs, killdeer, and more. In this … Continue reading →
When we travel to the lakes of our area to the Interior, we usually try to go a lake that is large enough to warrant the time an effort to load up, drive, launch, reload, and drive back. We prefer a lake that has a 5 km shoreline or longer. If we choose a smaller lake, we try to … Continue reading →
Ross Moore Lake is a pleasant lake in the Lac le Jeune area, but its not easy to get to. The best road access is to drive out onto the Brigade Lake Road, then turn onto the Long Lake Road. After the last ranch, the road is not maintained very often so it will requires some slower driving on backroads, … Continue reading →
There are hundreds of lakes to paddle in the area and we try to get out to as many as we can, adding a few new ones to the list each year. From Highway 24 (Little Fort to 100 Mile House area) are dozens of lakes of all sizes, with differing challenges of access. On a summer\s day, we drove … Continue reading →
Access to Minnie Lake and Stoney Lake has been the subject of media attention after Douglas Lake Cattle Company closed down public access 20 years ago. The Nicola Valley Fish and Game Club took up the challenge of public access and after many years in the courts, they won the case. The judgement in the case ordered Douglas … Continue reading →
Dairy Lake is found on the high shoulder of Greenstone Mountain at 1423m (4700 feet). The best road to get to the lake is the Dairy FSR from the Duffy Lake FSR. It is a high clearance road, but a reasonable drive in dry conditions, There is a Rec Site on the west shore of the lake. On a summer … Continue reading →