Hanmore Lake

In late September, we visited Hanmore Lake, about 30 minute north of the town of Smokey Lake. It was a bit of an overcast day so the photos look a bit dreary. Best access is north on Highway 855, then west on Township Road 612, then north on Range Road 174. You can also come in from the north on a  gravel road by the Island Lake turn off.

We accessed the lake on the SE corner from the Hanmore Lake Campground (run by the county) day-use area. Beach, change rooms, dock and boat launch, marked swimming area and dive platform, pit toilets, picnic tables, and fire pits. There is also a small store (?) here that advertised paddle board and kayak rentals (but it was closed). Overall, a surprisingly nice little park.

There was no one on the lake the day we were there, although there were some cabin owners getting their places ready for winter.

The lake is maybe 4km long and 1km wide (at its widest point). We paddled the north shore to the west end and then came back. There was a fair bit of waterfowl. We also heard a moose calling and then, later, a different moose calling back. 

The shore is basically sandy or rocky (towards the west) with reeds giving way to an aspen forest.

It was dead calm the day we were there so the reflections were pretty, if muted.

We eventually got some sun at the end and had a nice lunch on the picnic tables.

If we'd had more time, I would have also liked to have visited Island Lake on the other side of Highway 855. It looks like you can drive in to a parking lot but then have a five to 10 minute walk to the lake. Next time!

Touchwood Lake

In late September, we drove about 45 minutes east of Lac La Biche into Lakeland Provincial Park to visit Touchwood Lake. The drive in was on a rolling gravel road (nicely maintained, though)

The campground was closed by there was still access to the day-use area and the boat launch. Day-use area had picnic tables, fire pits, pit toilets, playground, garbage, etc. There was also a guy who was camping there.

The boat launch was a cement pad, with a dock plus a small beach. Easy sandy entry. The only other boat on the lake was a fishing boat that came in while we were unloading. It was a pretty windy day and the two guys in the boat suggested the calmest water was on the south-west shore, so we paddled right off the beach and worked our way around the northern basin.

The shoreline is mostly sandy (with reedy patches) giving away to a conifer forest. The bottom was sandy and quite undulating.

We eventually got into the lee of a point and slowed down to enjoy the paddle

The water was extremely clear and we could see moose tracks on the bottom (bigger across than the span of my hand).

The only animal was saw was an eagle (plus the usual waterfowl).

After about 90 minutes we booted it back north across the open water to the boat launch for lunch. There was a pretty good swell (the boats were making that wallowing motion).

The wind came up much stronger while we were cooking lunch and we decided to call it a day other than try to paddle the northeastern shore. Overall, very pretty and a nice camp site.

Beaver Lake

In late September, we paddled Beaver Lake near Lac La Biche. I had hopped to launch from the beach in the provincial campground (pink arrow) of the provincial group camping area (orange arrow) but both were closed, seemingly for the season.

We ended up launching from the public launch at Holowachuk Estates (blue arrow). Dock, ramp, small beach, lots of parking, and washrooms. It was reasonably rough because of a south wind so we went around the west side of the lake.

Almost immediately, we passed the launch at Young's Beach (green arrow) which was also very nice.

Waning daylight and being tired from a big paddle earlier that day meant we only got around the northern basin. The lake is huge and it looks like there is a launch on the southern end of the lake, which is where I would try next time.

We had a very nice paddle once we got out of the wind a bit. The lake is lovely, reasonably clean (a bit weedy in places), and was quiet.

Paddling near sunset with only a five-minute drive back to our hotel in Lac La Biche was nice.

This wasn't my favourite lake from this trip, but it was very nice and I'd definitely go back if I was in the area.

Lac La Biche

In late September, we spent some time in Lac La Biche, including paddling on Lac La Biche. There are really too many access points to catalogue so I'm going to focus on Sir Winston Churchill Park, which is   connected to the south shore via a causeway that starts just east of town

There is a boat launch on the east side of the spit right before the park. There are also two easy beach launches on the SW and NE corners. Given the wind, we used the NE beach. Lots of parking, picnic shelters, playground, pit toilets, tables on the beach. Carry is about 50 feet, mostly just the depth of the beach.

I imagine the park is busier in the summer; we spent a fair bit of time here and basically saw no one day after day. The beach was lovely.

My initial plan was to paddle due north to a series of islands that are about 1.5km out into the lake and then circumnavigate them. The wind was, however, from the south and pretty brisk (12-25kph) so, instead, we paddled along the north shore of the park in the lee to the NW point.

There were a tonne of birds flocking up, including pelicans and cormorants. We also hung out with three otters and saw a bunch of deer. Also signs of coyote and bear!

The shoreline was a mix of beaches and reeds giving way to forest.

A bit of a longer paddle than I'd expected (maybe 8km return) but lovely.

We got to the the NW point and the waves were too big to bother with so we turned round and came back. We later drove over the the SW beach in the campground. Basically the the same set up and carrying distances.

I wish we'd had more time to explore this huge lake (the only place in Alberta where the government gets seasonal fishing EI claims, my wife informs me). It was a truly lovely paddle.

North Buck Lake

In late September, we took a trip north towards Lac La Biche. Our first stop was North Buck Lake, about 30 minutes west of Lac La Biche, near Caslan. There is a provincial park on the south end of the lake with a campsite and a day-use area.

The day-use area has pit toilets, picnic tables, and fire pits. The boat launch is a cement ramp with a dock and the water was very clear, even this late in the season. North Buck Lake is a big lake and it was a bit rough to the north (where the main lake is located). We decided to go west and south to stay out of the wind. A trop around the SW reach is about two or two-and-half hours of paddling.

It warmed up while we were paddling--you can see Jenn shucking layers as the photos progress.

The water was very clean and the bottom was sandy. The shore was reedy with sandy bits that give away to a mixed forest. While the "beaches" at the campsite were terrible, there were some large paddle-in beaches that were nice. There must be road access to them given the number of ATV tracks in the sand.

The water had weedier sections. There were very few birds to be seen, given the season.

We had a very nice paddle here and I'd go back in the summer. There is also nearby Chump Lake that looked good.

Below you can see one of the "beaches" for the campground. Mostly weeds with the swimming area buoys pushed ashore.

The campground gets super mixed reviews on google. It was clean but seems like a bit of a local party spot. I hear Chump Lake is more secluded.

Muir Lake

I was out at Muir Lake in early September for a quick paddle one day. The fall doldrums had set in with not much happening. I did have an eagle orbit above for most of the paddle, though!

There were also dramatic early autumn skies as the Sun is starting to drop a lower. Only a few folks on the lake fishing or paddling.

The lake was still pretty clean and much better than North Lake and Little Mere and Chickakoo, which had some pretty big patches of algae along the shores.

Looks like there is a resident beaver. The water level was also up, but I don't think those are connected because I don't think there is an outlet for Muir.

After an hour on the lake, I packed up and detoured west to try to find access to Mere Lake, but was unsuccessful (the banks are way steeper tan google maps suggested!).

Overall, a lovely paddle that is closer to home. This was also paddle 41 for me this year and I'm keen to try to hit 50 before the snow flies.

Ashland Reservoir and Dam

On the Labour Day weekend, we ventured out to the Ashland Reservoir that is SW of Warburg. We went west on Highway 16, turned south on Highway 770 (the Carvel turn) and then went south to Highway 39. We then turned west and went two miles before turning south again on Range Road 34 (which was gravel). It took about 75 minutes to get there and the same time to come back through Calmar and Devon

There is a campground here and a day use area. There is a $5 fee per car to use the day use area which includes a portapotty, picnic tables, parking, and a boat launch. The day use area is open until September 15 but a fellow said some folks continue to use it after September 15 by parking at the gate and then carrying their boats 500 feet to the boat launch.

The boat launch was pretty good but the mud at the bottom was soft! It was also a very smokey day from a fire in Jasper.

We went left out of the launch and towards the southern end of the lake. The water was iced tea coloured and got weedier the further south we went. 

There were ducks and a hawk out and about but everything else had slowed down for autumn. The bushes were just starting to show some fall colours but the overcast note the colours some.

We paddled the whole perimeter at a leisurely pace in about 75 minutes. This looks like it would be a great lake to fish in (lots of folks in boats with electric motors out fishing). I hear it is also nicer looking earlier in the year.

The smoke and cloud did eventually clear off and we had a lovely paddle around the northern end of the reservoir.

Overall, a nice paddle and I'm happy we went. There are nicer lakes closer to town though, so I'd probably not stop here again unless I was already headed towards Rocky Mountain House for some reason.