Half Moon Lake, Thorhild County

After visiting Half Moon Lake SE of Sherwood Park, a friend pointed out that there was also a Half Moon Lake NE of town in Thorhild County. I took Highway 28 north of town to Bon Accord, turned up Lily Lake Road and followed it until it dead-ended at Township Road 590. Then maybe 4km on gravel to the Half Moon lake Campground. About an hour all told.

The campground has a day use area with a sandy boat launch on the north shore. The access fee is $20 per car to use the launch. There are washrooms and decent parking. The rest of the lakeshore is private property and I didn't see any other access points. I expect this lake would be hopping on the weekend.

The lake is only about 200m wide and the perimeter is four and half or five km long. It took me less than two hours to paddle at a relax pace. The lake runs east-west and there are no trees on the west end so the wind gets a good run. I'm not sure the lake is deep enough to worry much about big rollers. It was pretty windy when I was there (up to 30kmh) but the waves were no real problem.

The west end of the lake is a typical northern Alberta lake. Pine trees, boggy shore, beaver lodges, waterfowl, and some lilybeds. The water was super clear.

I paddled though the swampier area on the west end and then cruised the south shore back east.

The eastern half of the lake is much of a Parkland style, with aspens. Overall, the east end was prettier.

The wind really picked up on the way back but the wave action was pretty modest (below).

Overall, a nice paddle. A friend said she and her family picked up some itch there once so a rinse after getting out might be in order (I didn't see any facilities for that, so plan ahead with some water jugs). There was a touch of algae in the west end (typical swamp stuff, not a bloom). No idea what the water would be like in the summer--might be worth phoning ahead to the campground.

Half Moon Lake, Sherwood Park

I tried out Half Moon Lake a week or so back. This Half Moon Lake is located south and east of Sherwood Park. You can come at it a couple of different ways. If you come in off Township Road 520 on the south side, you can access the lake through the Half Moon Lake Resort. This includes a beach (see below) and boat launch. I understand there is a small day-use fee to launch from here ($10/person).

The other options require you go east from Sherwood Park on Wye Road then turn south down Range Road 220 and come at the lake from the North. There are two public access points that I have flagged in the screen cap below. Both are a little tricky to find. As you drive eastward along the north shore of the lake, there are three Canada Post super boxes. The launches are across from the second and third boxes.

The right-most launch is a grassy path down to the water. There is a bit of slope.

The water entrance is the pits. Big step down to the bottom where the lake drops off rapidly.

I think the better option is the left-hand access. This is a gravel road. In theory, you could drive down, unload and drive up. But there is no room at the bottom to turn around and the road is pretty pitted and quite steep. I just parked at the top and carried (maybe 200 feet?).

Access to the water is good with a little shelf of gravel on the bottom to stand on and launch from.

The lake is about 4km around the perimeter but the western section is marsh where pelicans and other birds nest (so best avoided until late summer).

There were a lot of lovely birds (including pelicans--I saw one group of at last 30 in the distance) flying and floating. The trees are mostly aspens and have a lovely rustling sound in the wind. I bet this would be spectacular in the autumn when the leaves turn.

A beaver lodge, a fair number of cabins, and lots of power boats on the shore. So probably a busy lake on a summer weekend. I wonder about algae in summer.

Overall, a really nice beginner paddle (maybe an hour around the edge). Not much shelter in a blow, though. Would totally go back.

North Saskatchewan, Quesnel Bridge to Dawson Bridge

We took a three-hour trip down the North Saskatchewan River last week. We put in below the Quesnel Bridge. The water was up a tiny bit over summer levels but there doesn't appear to be much of a spring surge this year.

The Edmonton Queen is still in dry dock at Whitemud Creek.

The water was a little dirty, with the recent rain.

There were a few boats on the water that day. A few days later it was +30 and the river had 100 kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards plus people lounging on all of the available beach space. Also swimmers!

This is the new dock the city has put in below the Groat Bridge in Emily Murphy Park. I'm not sure what I think about these. They may make the river more accessible. But I wonder how much. They actually make it slightly tricker to launch a kayak by occupying the best space and creating something to get caught up against. Meh, whatever.

Overall, it was a lovely paddle through the city.

The new LRT bridge is almost dine and I'm thrilled (as a cyclist) with the new foot bridge underneath the bridge.

Accidental beach was looking a bit beat up when we floated by. It isn't clear to me if the city will be keeping the berms that created the beach.

The pull out at Dawson Park was pretty good. The park was pretty busy that day but getting out was easier than last summer when water levels were lower.

Overall, a lovely float/paddle that took about three hours. Great first river trip for the year.

Moonlight Bay, Wabamun Lake

We popped out to Moonlight Bay on Wabamun Lake a few weeks back. Mostly this was a shakedown cruise for Jessica's new inflatable paddle board.

The boat launches are still good. We were there very early (8:30 am) and there were only a few people around. By the time we pulled out (10:30), things were much more crowded. This is probably a mixture of the weekend, good weather, and COVID.

We had great paddle. Jessica managed to stay upright despite the wakes and breeze and had only one unplanned dismount. She's a trooper.

Overall, a lovely family paddle. Hopefully we can explore some new terrain in the next few weeks. 

Muir Lake

 I had the chance to get out on Muir Lake last week, just north of Spruce Grove.

The lake opened for fishing on May 1 and was reasonably busy when I was there. Still good access from the boat launch.

It was an unsettled day when I was out (sun and cloud) but the lake was pretty calm.

There was lots of birds (loons, geese, ducks, grebes, coots) pairing off. 

I also saw an Osprey fishing (more successfully than the guys in the 12 boats that were on the water).

Overall, a very nice, short paddle for early in the year. I see Devil's Lake is nearby and I might try that next time I'm out this way.

North Saskatchewan, Emily Murphy to Hawrelak

I had a chance to get down on the North Saskatchewan this week, putting in at Emily Murphy Park. This is the most convenient access point for me ad has been closed the past two years to to bridge rehabilitation. 

They are still working on cleaning up the site. The have poured the mooring for the dock that is supposed to go in here but the rest of the site is still under construction (switch back trail down the slope). It was a mild scramble to get down but otherwise great access.

The river was at late summer levels and clearer than usual at the time of year (no run off from fields).

I paddled up to the Hawrelak park boat launch (also clear) and then floated back.

Lots of interesting ice left over in the shady shore spots.

Overall, a great paddle and thrilled this access point is open again.

Telford Lake

Cold weather and low water on the Sturgeon has meant not much paddling so far this year. I went out to Telford Lake in Leduc this week. It has been about 10 years since I was last there. 

The best access remains the paddling club on the SW corner of the lake. There is a paved parking lot, a concrete boat ramp, and a pier. Access is off 47th Avenue and then north on 44th Street.

The lake runs east-west and can be pretty windy. Usually the north shore gives some shelter, so head east on the south shore and come back on the north.

The west end of the lake abuts downtown Leduc and has a cool boardwalk. As you go east, it rapidly becomes a prairie lake, with bullrushes, scrub trees, and no ready access to the shore. There is a pathway around the lake--some of it paved.

Overall, a nice paddle (maybe 90 minutes around?) close to the city. There is nothing spectacular about it, but there were lots of water fowl and the occasional jet (it is on the approach to the airport).