With 100 lakes in 100 miles, northeast Alberta is awesome lake country. You can really get away from it all whether you visit Alberta’s biggest lakes, or smaller, off-the-grid lakes. We went paddling four times in three days because it was so easy to get on the water any time of day!
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Paddling at Lac La Biche
Historically significant as being part of the voyageur route that linked northern Alberta to Hudson Bay, today’s Lac La Biche is a popular boating and fishing spot. As we push off from the sandy beach at Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park Day Use Area, Jamie of Lakeland Expeditions Rentals asks, “Where would you like to go?”
Since Lac La Biche is the 7th largest lake in Alberta , our options from the park include the following:
- Tour the Big Island shoreline and have a picnic at Boardwalk Beach;
- Paddle from Big Island to Pelican Islands to see dozens of pelicans and cormorants; and
- Visit white sand beaches at Birch and Currant Islands.
We decide to see as much of the island as we can before the weather turns.
Bring binoculars and fishing gear to enjoy amazing birdwatching and fishing while you paddle! The lake holds many a metre-long pike and is visited by over 200 species of birds each year.
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| Sunset Paddle at Boardwalk Beach, Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park Image Credit: Jaclyn Denman |
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| American Pelican at Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park |
Paddling in Lakeland Provincial Park & Recreation Area
Shaw Lake, Touchwood Lake, and Pinehurst Lake are off the beaten track and are peaceful places to paddle and fish. Touchwood and Pinehurst also have sandy beaches.
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| Touchwood Lake, Lakeland Provincial Recreation Area |
Nearby Lakeland Provincial Park boasts Alberta’s only backcountry canoe circuit where you can paddle 38 km of flat water over 3 days. Carts, campgrounds, bear lockers, and firewood make the trip as pleasant as possible. Read more at ZenSeekers: Disconnect and reconnect with nature on the Lakeland Canoe Circuit.
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| Jackson Lake, Lakeland Provincial Park |
Rentals
Rent canoes, fishing boats, or ice fishing huts from Jamie Laird of Lakeland Expeditions (1/2 day, full day, or multi-day rentals). Jamie also has camping gear and fishing gear for rent if you forgot anything.
Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park rents canoes, kayaks and SUPs for 1/2 day or full- day use only.
Getting There
For More Information
Please see my story on ZenSeekers: 100 Lakes in 100 Miles and search tag #TakeItToTheLake on social media for more fun in Lac La Biche / Lakeland / Bonnyville MD!
Disclosure
Thank you to Lac La Biche Community Futures, the MD of Bonnyville, ZenSeekers, and Travel Alberta for having me on the #TakeItToTheLake Expedition! All words and opinions are my own.
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