Crow Lake to Bobs Lake - South Frontenac

This is a very pretty area within the Frontenac Arch Biosphere and until now an area I had not paddled.  A little research turned up two possible access points, one by the village of Crow Lake at the northern tip of Crow Lake, the other at the south end of Steele Rd  giving access to the SW end of Bobs Lake.  I chose the former thinking it closer to paved road and after determining that passage between Crow and Bobs lakes was possible via a narrow stream.  Getting there shouldn't have been a problem but arriving at Westport I find my route blocked as they have closed CR 36; a detour via Perth is on offer but that by my internal compass is the totally wrong direction.  So off I go westward into the unknown seeking an alternate route to Crow Lake.  Before too long I am regretting this as I find myself on a road better suited as a roller coaster track with no signs to any known location.   Finally being brought to a stop by road construction I find a worker who has local knowledge and get direction to my destination.  So a rather late start to the day but we get launched from the beach area below the village of Crow Lake.  This put-in/ramp has a decent sized area where several cars could park but inexplicably has "No Parking" signs throughout so we end up parking along the Crow Rd about 200 m away...my day continues!

Crow Lake put-in

Crow Lake is approximately 6 km top to bottom with it's eastern shore being mostly Crown land, the western shore having a number of cottages and private. There are three small islands about half way down and a couple more in the eastern arm.   The lake tapers towards the south where a narrow passage connects to Bobs Lake.  Navigating this channel may become difficult in late fall as levels drop further but a local told me a kayak should manage.

Crow - Bobs

Crow - Bobs

Heading almost due east I look for another channel eastward that may or may not be there; this is not clear on any map I have looked at.  This too turns out to be navigable but might require a carry over later in season.

approach to 2nd channel

Our destination today is the other put-in at the end of Steele Rd so we can check it out for possible use at a later date.   We are now in a narrow arm that if one travelled NE on would give onto the long stretch of water leading to the lake's most northeastern extremity at Bolingbroke but we turn SSE for about 1 - 1.5 km then almost west to reach the Steele Rd put-in.

Travelling SSE

Arriving at the put-in we have clocked about 12 km and I go ashore to check out the lay of the land.  Steele Rd runs right to the water with no parking lot but maybe room for 2 cars pushed into small cleared area west side of road.  Several cottages have lane ways off road so parking would likely have to be back up the road where it is wider.

Steele Rd

Steele Rd

Possible parking

Time for a late lunch and just about 100 m or so east of this put-in is a small beach which appears to be part of a trailer park but being mid-week  no one seems to be around so we land there for lunch.

Lunch at beach

Our return route will follow the NW shore of this basin until we reach the passage to Crow Lake this being somewhat shorter than our outbound course. We will travel around and between some of the islands most of which are well cottaged.

Between islands

Osprey nest

As we approach the Bobs Lake entrance to Crows Lake I linger to watch and photograph a kid who is being coached to leap of a small cliff, after much persuasion she makes the jump!

Geronimo!

Then it is back through the channel and into Crow Lake for our last 5.5 km back to our starting point.  This time I go home via Perth but by a more direct route that misses Westport and the closed county road.

Northbound on Crow Lake

Happy paddling!

from

KayakJock