One of the best area lakes to paddle is Johnson Lake. Go north on Highway 5, and at Louis Creek, take the Agate Bay Road. Turn left onto the Johnson Lake Forest Service Road. Follow the signs to the Johnson Lake Resort, but don't turn left at the end of the lake (to the Resort). Instead, follow the road around the … Continue reading →
We brought our kayaks to paddle the shoreline of Vancouver Island. Since we were camping at Miracle Beach, we launched from that beach. Miracle Beach has extensive shallows at low tide so launches and landings have to be at high tide. Even then, we had to put the wheels on our kayak to get them to the beach and down … Continue reading →
North Barriere Lake is a 100km drive from Kamloops, but it is a good destination for a day of paddling. From the Barriere Lakes Road, turn north at the Forks, onto the North Barriere Road and then park at the launch at the BC Rec site. We enjoyed the 12km paddle around the lake. The southwest end at the creek … Continue reading →
Three lakes lie near the 50km mark on the Jamieson Creek Forest Service Road on the Bonaparte Plateau. Mayson Lake is a short drive down a BC Recreation Site road. There is a boat launch at this small campsite. The distance around the shoreline is 8km if you choose to paddle into each small bay. This is a quiet area, … Continue reading →
We have so many lakes to paddle that it will take a decade to get to them all, but each year I add a few more, paddling the shoreline of the lakes. I was delighted by Pinantan Lake. It is a good lake for a recreational paddle on a quiet day. The best hand launch is from the small community … Continue reading →
The multi-year goal is to paddle all of the lakes in the area and East Barriere Lake was well overdue for a day in the kayak. The road to the lake is an easy drive and the best launch spot is at the BC Recreation Site boat launch on the northwest corner of the lake. This is a fairly large … Continue reading →
There are hundreds of lakes to explore in our area and anything with a shoreline perimeter of 3km or more is on our list to paddle. We have hiked the trails around Hyas Lake before, but we had not paddled the lake. We were delighted with this quiet lake high in the hills. It is about 45km from Kamloops. … Continue reading →
The road to Paska and Face Lake is paved and both lakes see frequent use, but a backroad heads northwest on the upland plateau over to Dominic Lake to an area that is not as well-known. From the Logan Lake Road, turn north onto the Paska Lake Road and follow it for 9 km. The same road continues to Face … Continue reading →
On the east side of Adams Lake, accessible only by boat is a strip of land designated as a provincial park. It is user-maintained and usually in good shape. Many of us do maintenance at the site when we arrive and try to leave it in better shape than we found it. Spillman Beaches has a series of camping areas … Continue reading →
Every spring the snows melt from distant mountain ranges and the lands at the head of Kamloops Lake are flooded. We can paddle in the bays and channels, and enjoy the views, especially on a calm day. Reflections from the hills and the sky blend with tones of filtered light. Cloud shapes contrast with the colors of the hills, reflected … Continue reading →
In June each year, we can launch our boats from the Tranquille Wildlife Management area and paddle out into the flooded lands at the head of Kamloops Lake. We have a 10km circuit that we can do, but each time a different channel is taken. At the peak of the freshet, all the channels are connected, but as the water … Continue reading →
When spring comes, the ice melts off the lakes and we can start to paddle some of the larger lakes of the area. In May, Paul Lake has a few people fishing, but is quite quiet otherwise. The water is still cold, but fish start to jump, pairs of ducks dabble near the shoreline, loons dive for fish, birds … Continue reading →
Kamloops' two rivers provide fine early season paddling. The South Thompson flows more slowly, has fewer shallows/sandbars, and has less hazards. Progress up or down is good, except when the power boats arrive. The North Thompson has far less traffic and a little more caution is needed, and it is hard work to paddle upstream. Most river paddling outings follow … Continue reading →
In Kamloops, we can paddle on our rivers in 9 of the 12 months of the year. With a cool spring, the first day of paddling on the river this year was the last day of March. From Pioneer Park, the upstream paddle is easier when the flow rates are down. With a reduced current, we can progress east on … Continue reading →
White pelicans have been spotted in the Tranquille Wildlife Protected area and in Cooney Bay over the past 3 years. These large birds migrate to the BC Interior over the spring-summer, then return to the southern U.S. for winter. A full grown pelican can stand 5 feet high and have a wingspan of up to 9 feet, the second largest … Continue reading →
Downriver paddling is one of the best outdoor experiences, but paddling in a shallow river with the salmon migrating upstream to spawn is a special experience. During the last big sockeye run, we paddled down the Shuswap River from the Skookumchuck to Enderby. The river runs faster at the upper end and slowly at the lower end over a … Continue reading →