Northeast River Valley Park

In early September, I dropped in on the Northeast River Valley Park that opened in 2023. The park has a small lake and a channel to explore. You can probably get a boat in just about anywhere but the official launch is about a 250m carry from the main parking lot, across a bridge and down a hill. The picture below looks back at the pavilion from the launch.

There is a dock here in the summer but it was gone for the season when I was there. Entry was a little easier this year due to a small apron of gravel. The bottom is a shallow slope and I got in dry.

Lots of folks are just DIYing entry. The picture below is one access point just below the main parking lot down into the channel. A bit goopier of an entry but only about a 50m carry.

The edge of the lake is most reeds and grass. I was getting some early fall colour the day I went.

The best part of the park are the bridges, including these two that join an island with a playground to each side of the lake. There are also washrooms and a picnic area.

The water was clean but weedy and there are no swimming signs up.

I had a crazy calm day but the lake is also shallow and protected by the surrounding hills so waves aren't going to ever be an issue here.

There are also cement/brick bridges that mark the entrances to the channel.

There wasn't much happening animal wise. I did see a couple different types of hawks, lots of geese and ducks, and I chased a poor heron down the channel and back. The beaver lodge back here looks abandoned.

Two leisurely laps took about an hour. I think this lake offers a nice evening paddle when the days are getting shorter.