Round Lake, near Evansburg plus Lake Isle northwest launches

In late May, I finally managed to get out to Round Lake, which is located about an hour west of Edmonton on Highway 16, just north of Magnolia. Access is from the north, down Range Road 70 

You can park about 10m from the edge of the lake and unload. Access to the lake requires navigating some bullrushes. I was able to get in and out dry. The challenge for my visit was the channel was blocked at the end by some kind of home-made raft.

I was able to bull past this with some work.

Reverse shot of the launch and parking.

The shoreline is basically reeds with a mixed forest behind it. There is no easy place to get out around the perimeter of the lake. 

There were a tonne of birds on the lake and on the shoreline.

The sunshine was also amazing the day I was there.

In the west end, there is a small creek you can paddle up. This actually looks more like a canal (when you look at the satellite photo).

The navigable part seems to end at a small bridge in the middle of this person's farm.

Beyond the birds and fresh air, Round Lake is pretty unremarkable. I suspect it would be buggy in the summer and the water likely gets a bit green (it was dark, iced tea coloured the day I was there).

Overall, an interesting enough early season paddle with good birding. It took me just over an hour to go around the perimeter (so maybe 5km with the side trip up the creek) Probably not suitable for SUP and not interesting enough that I would go back.

Lake Isle, Northern Shore
Since I had some time, I decided to come back to Edmonton along the north shore of Lake Isle and check out some of the launches I have not yet been to.

There is a small boat launch by the Lutheran summer camp (orange arrow). It offers a cement ramp, a floating dock, a picnic tables, and garbage cans. There is parking just at the top of the ramp in the photo below).

A little further east, there is a launch at Jones Beach (green arrow). This offers similar amenities as well as a pit toilet. The parking situation was a little less clear here.

I haven't explored the far west west end of Isle Lake so I will try to get back here this summer.

Lake Isle, Silver Sands Launch

In mid-September, we went out for a mid-day birthday paddle at Lake Isle. It had been a couple of years since we'd been to Lake Isle and this time we tried the Silver Sands launch in the southeast corner.

The launch was gravel and cement. We dropped right beside the water and then parked 20 meters away. There was a playground, a picnic shelter (no fires, though), horseshoe pits, and pit toilets were located up by the municipal garage (100 meters).

The water was pretty green and had a faint whiff of manure and we got in dry. We then did a clockwise loop around the large island and much of the eastern bay. We paddled maybe two hours and covered 8km or so.

There wasn't much to see. There was no one on the lake and only a few birds.

The different, autumn light gave the water a cool CGI effect.

There was the beginning of the fall colours along the north shore.

Overall, this was a fine enough paddle. Maybe a bit boring? Less boring is the road signage leading into the summer village of Silver Sands. Really, this raises all kinds of question for me. Are intramural firefights such an issue it required a sign? Can you shoot into and/or out of the village?

Happy to have tried this launch. I think the Kokomoko entrance on the southwest side was more interesting.

Lake Isle, Kokomoko Recreation Area

We spent a few days on Lake Isle in July. There are multiple access points but one of the easiest to find is the boat launch at Kokomoko Recreation area on the south side of the lake, just north of Seba Beach. Easiest route is Highway 16 west to Sea Beach overpass, then north on Range Road 60 until you hit Township Road 534, then west to the water.

The day-use area (green arrow) has a nice boat launch, good parking, pit toilets, fire pits (no wood) and a few picnic tables. This may have once been a campground but is now just a day use area.

The boat launch opens to a sheltered bay. Beyond the bay, there are some interesting islands.

There was a far bit of wildlife here. Lots of pelicans, heron, loons, geese, terns, and fish jumping. There were also deer on the islands and on the shore.

The water is a bit weedy anywhere it is shallow with bullrushes at the edge. The lake was also starting to get a goodly amount of algae (not a bloom, just starting to be a bit green).

Overall, this was a nice enough paddle but not really a good place to swim. 

We rented a cabin here for a few days and enjoyed the sunsets!

If I was to go back, I'd try my luck at the east end of the lake (there is a launch at range road 52 and Lake Isle Road). There also appears to be a creek down at that end which may allow access to to Lac Ste Anne (although the satellite photos suggest there are sketchy parts).