Spring Lake

I finally got a chance to paddle Spring Lake in late June. This has long been on my list of lakes to try but the best accessed (through an RV resort) has been restricted and I could never find the public access.

I came out Highway 16A west past Stony Plain and Spring Lake is clearly signed on the south side of the highway. Eventually, I got going south of Range Road 15, crossed the train tracks and turned right (west) onto Bauer Avenue. It is then a matter of following Bauer to the village office (there is a portapotty here), then taking Lakeside Drive to Waters Crescent. 

Parking is on a small grass pullout (blue circle). Extra parking is available back at the village office. You then walk a short distance down a road to a gate then carry or drag your boat along the yellow arrow to the put in point (green circle).

The put-in point is just tis cut in the trees and is a touch mucky. I chose to get in dry and bumscoot until I was floating. 

Just to the north there is a dock and a second put in point (below). I didn't think that was much better.

The lake is shallow with a boggy edge almost all the way around. Overall, it leans towards a slough aesthetic. 

The good news is there many birds here. I saw loons, grebes, coots, pelicans (20+), osprey, terns, red-winged blackbirds, and some others I couldn't identify. Some were nesting, some had young.

The lake is also reasonably sheltered and shallow. At times, the wind was gusting over 35kph (base don the flags) but there was no chop to speak of.

The southwest bay had the best bird watching. There was also a beach here. I could tell if it was public or private.

The RV resort in the SE corner had a beach with swimming area, dock and boat launch. There was no public access here.

I paddled the perimeter very leisurely and was done in less than 2 hours. I saw lost of birds, a few people in rowboats and canoes fishing and that was it. There were power boats on the various beaches and docks but, given the depth, Iw wouldn't imagine people would be going very fast. 

I would totally go back this fall for the autumn migration and colour.