Although we have about 100 lakes to paddle in the Kamloops area , there are many small lakes too, most of which are too small to warrant the drive and the effort and time to load and unload a kayak or canoe.   Some are suitable for SUPs, but paddlers would most often prefer a lake that is at least 2 km round to go through the effort and time required.   A number of smaller lakes have good access and we can paddle around the lake 2 or 3 times.   Tulip Lake is only 1.25 km around the shoreline and adjacent Rose Lake is barely a kilometer around.   There is good access through and with some effort we can paddle Tulip Lake, Rose Lake, and Horseshoe Lake in the same day or over a couple of days from the 3 Roche Lake Provincial Park campsites nearby.   Tulip Lake is accessed of a short rough road from the Roche Lake Road.   It has been designated as a fishing lake for youth and disabled persons.

A fishing dock has been constructed to support access.   In September, one of the support beams was underwater.      There is an aeration system in place for this lake to reduce winter kill.

To launch a kayak or canoe we have to wade through some mud and muck and then paddle/pole through the rushes.

Most of the shoreline for both lakes is marshy, but there is some open water too.    It would be unlikely to see another boat.

Access to Rose Lake is also muddy.  Since the lakes are aerated, the ice can be unstable in winter for ice fishing, hence the warning signs.

These lakes will be too small for most paddlers, but we enjoy paddling as many lakes as we can.   There are a number in the Roche Lake area we have paddled (Roche, Horseshoe, Bleeker, Hosli, Tulip, and Rose) and a number we hope to paddle (Frisken, Bulman, John Frank, Black, Bog, and Ernst), depending on how brave we are to face the Roche backroads.

We have walked the Black – Bog – Ernst – John Frank route and we know it is 4WD access, but we may choose to at least drive in  to Black Lake through the giant puddles.   We have recently investigated Frisken and Bulman and outings are planned for John Frank Lake.   Driving into Bulman requires a medal for bravery.