McLeod Lake, Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park

In late July, we drove up to Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park, just northeast of Whitecourt to paddle the conjoined McLeod Lake and Carson Lake. This was a 200km drive each way, but was worth it in the end. There is also nearby little McLeod Lake (just to the east) if you want to add on to an existing trip.

There are two good options for entry. We choose to go off the day-use beach on the west side of the peninsula. You can drive down to unload and the park about 100 feet back up the hill. This was a fine entry point but a so-so beach (more silt that sand and a bit of a slippery step down into the water). There is playground equipment, pit toilets, and a marked swimming area. The other option is the main boat launch on the east side of the peninsula (below). There is a kayaomat at the main boat launch, which is nice to see.

If you are camping at the park, you can also access a boat launch on the SE corner of the lake.

The lake is about 8km around the edge and has pretty clean water. It took us about three hours to go around because the birding was very good. There were few boats on the lake (despite it being a sunny Sunday afternoon in the middle of summer) and there is a 12kmh speed limit.

The birds were crazy. Above, there was a tree full of cormorants. We also saw at least four pairs of loons, which would start calling every time a bald eagle would cruise over the lake.

In the NW corner, there is a nice creek that we explored. Here, Jenn scared up a pair of heron, which roosted in a tree.

 

They apparently got too close of an osprey nest and we witnessed quite the dogfight between the birds.

 

Back out on the lake, we followed some pelicans. There were also kingfishers and ducks of all types. The fishing looked good and one dad saw both of his kids' lures get hit at the same time! 

Then we ran into more herons, including four at once. You can see one sitting at the top of the tree above Jenn's bow.

There is  second creek but this one ends in some kind of dam that controls the lake level and the signs said to stay away. 

As we cruise the western portion of the lake, we saw swan in the shallows. And then watched another osprey harass a pair of bald eagles.

All told this was a pretty good paddle: a clean lake with lots to see and few boats.