Halfmoon Lake by Thorhild

Back in early June, we drove up to Halfmoon Lake, north of Bon Accord (we were going to a greenhouse up that way so put the boats on). Access is through the Halfmoon Lake Campground and there is a user fee (I can't recall how much, maybe $10 for the car?).

There is a boat launch with a beach, dock, swimming area, playground, and picnic tables. There are also washrooms and a change room a bit further back. I think they sell ice cream at the gate.

We had both cloudy and smokey skies the day we were there. The lake is long and narrow and can have a lot of boats on it in the weekend. It was pretty quiet early on a  Sunday morning.

Basically you get a weedy edge that immediately gives way to forest. There are a fair few cabins on the north edge and maybe one of two on the south.

The east end of the lake had quite a lot of weeds.

We chased a heron most of the way from the east end to the west.

There were a lot of ducks and a couple of loons in the west end, which is also swampy. Plus whatever the hell that floating scaly root thing is.

We had a nice tail wind heading back. Maybe an hour around the lake?

Overall, this is a so-so lake. I'd paddle here again if I was in the area. I'm not sure I'd drive up again without a good reason.

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.

Lessard Lake

In late July, I ventured out to Lessard Lake, just off Highway 43 about an hour out of town. The perimeter of the lake is about 8km and it took me about 90 minutes to make my away around. It was a bit of an overcast day, so the pictures are drab

There are three public access points: there are boat launches on the north and south shores. You can also launch out of the campground on the east shore. I chose the campground because I heard the operator was a nice guy (true!). There were no fees and there was a picnic table, port-a-potty, and playground in the day-use area. You could drop your boats right beside the lake and then park maybe 50 feet back (you can see my true in the shot below in the right).

The campground launch was so-so. Nice shallow, sloping gravel bed. A bit weedy at the edge but easily stepped over. The water is iced-tea coloured. There was a blue-green algae warning, but the only place I saw some was in the SW corner (which also had lots of duck weed).

The sore of the lake is pretty uniform: a band of reeds or cattails, then some dead trees (lake level looks up, probably due to beavers), then an aspen forest. There were lots of grebes and ducks and geese here, plus a few loons, and a pelican.

The only good places to get out are the boat launches. Above you can see the southern one. Good parking, dock, nice launch, picnic table. The northern launch is below and is a bit more basic (there is a dock hidden in the reeds on the right.

The west side of the lake is the most interesting, with beaver lodges and such. Overall, a bit boring of a lake.

The moody skies helped make it more interesting.

On the west edge, I noticed a huge eagle nest. And, as I paddled closer, I saw there was even an eagle sitting there.

I think this was a golden eagle (dark beak, mottled breast) but they don't usually nest in trees. It might also be a juvenile bald eagle. Either way, it was huge.

Overall, this was an okay paddle. There are nicer lakes within an hour of Edmonton and I'm not sure I'd go back. It might be prettier in the autumn with the leaves changing or more interesting in the spring with nesting birds (and likely cleaner water).

Long Lake, North Access

In mid July, I drove up to Long Lake, just south of Athabasca and west of Highway 2. I'd previously paddled here out of the Forfar Recreation Park on the southeastern shore. This time I want to try the Long Lake Campground operated by the county of Athabasca on the northern end of the lake.

The campground is small with three sites, fire pits, and tables plus a very dark pit toilet. The boat launch is steep but you can unload right at the edge of the water and park 30 feet back. The launch is sandy and shallow but quickly transition into weeds. The water was pretty clean, although maybe not as nice as Narrow Lake, immediately to the north.

The northern half of Long Lake is pretty shallow and has speed limits for power boats. 

The bottom half of the lake is deeper and has more boats. On the eastern shore is the Forfar Recreation Park campground, which has a day-use beach and boat launch. This was nicely kept and there is a fee for use. 

The rest of lake is basically this: a mix of aspen and fir. The western shore was a bit sandier than the eastern but neither was particularly notable.

There were a lot of loons on the lake. I saw at east four different pairs as I worked my way down and they were loud.

I also saw a moose browsing in the weeds along the shoreline. She seemed mostly disinterested in me (I was a long way out) and eventually moved off into the trees.

Overall, a nice enough lake. I hear it gets busy with boats on the weekend and there were a lot of boats on the campers-only beach just north of the public beach at Forfar. I was there early on a week day and only saw one boat on the water. I'm not sure I'd go back--it was almost two hours each way and there are a lot of nice lakes within a two-hour drive. But, if I was in the area, I might take it in or go back to Narrow Lake.

Beaver Lake Recreation Area

In mid-July, we stopped in at the Beaver Lake Recreation Area, just east of Burnstick Lake. We'd initially thought about paddling Burnstick but, after a week of paddling, our arms were too tired so we opted for the smaller lake.

This is basically a fishing lake (electric motors only) that is stocked with trout. It was very poorly signed from the highway. There is good parking, a 25-foot carry, pit toilets (not great, to be honest) and cell coverage. It was a beach launch into so-so water.

The lake is not big but it winds, so there is lots of see.

We ran across a loon family who were very annoyed to see us.

The lake was quite clear in places and weedy in others.

The southern basin of the lake was nice enough and the sun finally came out here.

As we were paddling back through the narrows, my wife asked, what's that swimming? I thought muskrat, at first.

As we got closer, it turned out to be a red squirrel, crossing the narrows. We followed it to the edge of the lake where it climbed up and up a tree and chittered its annoyance at us. I've never seen a squirrel swimming before!

Overall,  so-so lake that I probably would not go back to. I'd say it was good if you liked to fish and there were 10 boats out doing just that. 

Bow Lake

In July, we paddled Bow Lake, up the Icefields parkway from Lake Louise. We parked at the north end of the lake by the Lodge. This has pit toilets and about a 300-foot carry to the water. Parking was gonzo on the Sunday we were there. I'll point out a better access option below.

An easy gravel beach entry and then we went right into the western basin.

The view the whole trip were just incredible. The pictures don't do it justice.

As the western edge of the basin there is a delta where a stream from the Bow glacier dumps out. Lots of people were out hiking here and there is a path along the north side of the lake.

The wind started to come up a bit so we paddled across the lake to the eastern edge. The picture below shows the Bow Lake Viewpoint on the Icefields Parkway. You can park here and lower your boats down the steep bank. 

From here, you can also take a road down to the water where there is a day-use area with tables, pit toilets, and great beach access (see image below). If we went back, I would launch from here.

We worked our way down the lake until our arms got tired and then turned around. We did not get into the second basin on the south end. Maybe next time!

Overall, one of the nicest paddles around Banff and bigger than Moraine Lake, Emerald Lake, or Lake Louise. I would definitely go back. Nearby there is also Peyto, Hector, Herbert, and Waterfowl Lakes