Mons Lake

In mid-August, we drove out to Mons Lake, just NE of Smokey Lake (about a 90-minute drive). We launched from the playground on the south shore of the lake. This included a proper boat launch (we dropped the boats right by the lake and parked 25 feet away), a dock, picnic tables, pit toilet and playground. There was also marked swimming area.

The signage for the playground was pretty inadequate and when you are heading in from the west on Township Road 602, it is the first sandy/gravel road on your left after you see the lake through the trees.

 

The lake is about 2km in diameter and maybe 7km around the edge. The wind was from the west so we went clockwise and had a lovely calm paddle up the west side. The water was the colour of ginger ale but was otherwise clean.

There were lots of birds including terns, a bald eagle, loons, grebes, and ducks.

The shoreline is mostly reeds giving way to aspen.

On the north end, there is a swampy area and it looks like you can push through the reed screen into a sloughy area behind it.

There wasn't a lot of wind but the east side of the lake had more wave action (maybe 12-inch troughs).

The colours were also starting to hint at autumn. There were a few boats on the lake after lunch (wife joked "church just be out") towing tubers or fishing.

There is also a launching spot the east side of the lake at a beach. You'd have to carry the boats about 200 feet to the beach but otherwise it looked quite workable.

A nice lake, overall. Nearby Canmore, Island and Long Lake are bit more interesting, I think We also had a look at the small lake to the west of Mons (can't see to find a name) but there was no good access unless you wanted to carry across private land from the NE corner.