Lindsay Paddling Routes

Routes designed by: The Land Canadian Adventures

Ken Reid Conservation Area has almost 12 kilometers of marked trails through upland and lowland forested areas. There are rail trails, gravel, and single-track forest trails to explore. The highlight of my hiking experience there has always been the trails that afford the view of the provincially significant McLaren’s Wetland, so when I finally had a chance to paddle there, I was excited for the opportunity. The wetlands in the southwest corner of Sturgeon Lake feature meandering channels bordered by acres of dense sedge and cattails. This forms a habitat for a variety of wetland and shoreline birds, including ducks, herons and other waders, as well as birds of prey, and we saw many of these during our day adventure in the park.

The paddling access to the wetland is near the floating boardwalk of the Woodland Loop. It is conveniently close to a small satellite parking lot, however, at the time of writing, it involves a wee bit of bushwhacking and muddy feet in order to get the hull of the boat sufficiently afloat to load the canoe and launch. Officers from Kawartha Conservation assured us that a new canoe launch is in the works for the paddling season of 2023. Either way we got on the water paddling the meandering channels of the wetland is unlike most of the experiences that I’ve ever had in a canoe. The emergent vegetation provides shelter from the wind and sound and other disturbance that you would normally expect from a conservation area so close to Lindsay area development. I love finding hidden gems like this that create the sense of so close yet so far away. Meanwhile, the underwater plants hypnotize, and comprise species of bladderwort, coontail and wild celery hiding a variety of minnows species and larger predator species, who dart away from your paddle.

As with many of the routes I feature, this is a choose your own adventure paddling route. That said, if you’re up for a bit more of a challenge, try the roughly 3 km trip north from the wetland launch, around the point and into Goose Bay: there’s a pull out beach near the playground. Pull over for a shore lunch on the point of the cedar-lined peninsula: there’s a small shelter and picnic area there. When you’ve landed, flip your boat and stow your paddles and pfds, then wind back along the hiking trail network to find your vehicle. 

That said, in my opinion, the main possibility here is the call to nature connection, especially the bird life that this rare paddling experience affords. It’s not every day you get a chance to stalk the least bittern right from your boat, hoping not to be fooled by its stillness and camouflage among the reeds.

Back on land, we decided to try our hand at an innovative natural history interpretation system they’ve recently implemented across 15 stations on the Woodland Trail. The Talking Forest is an interactive trail that allows users to hear some of the different stories the trees in our parks have to share, from the trees themselves. It provides information on the tree species and forest habitats of this preserved section of the land between supplementing your hiking experience and your own knowledge and understanding of the woods through a handy mobile app. 

I always like to visit the trail side Lookout point, so Milton and I took our lunch there with his ready to rumble canine sidekick, Jojo. Ken Reid is a small but mighty park that goes out of its way to align its efforts with seasonal programming. When we were there, harvest festivities were in full swing and the laneway and trail junctures were an explosion of a Thanksgiving horn of plenty. Writing this, I’m jealous of Lindsay families who can visit the Illuminated Forest experience this holiday season. We will keep an eye on what they do to layer on these additional experiences next spring and summer.

Set a 20 minute drive out of Lindsay, you can find yourself on another of the great Kawartha. The southeastern arm of Pigeon Lake narrows into a river that wends and winds and we stopped by Fee’s Landing to explore the cottages and visit with the lovely Dave and Lora, whose hospitality and storytelling enriched my understanding of the waterway and how it’s used by paddlers. Their shoreline cottages are well kept with waterfront patios featuring inviting fire rings with comfy chairs; I had some paddling to do but they called out for a coffee break and a friendly chat. This would make a great spot to stay the night and afford a casual opportunity to dip a paddle in the evening in the morning.

Nearby, Emily Provincial Park offers full service camping for tents and RVs, and has canoe racks stocked with paddle craft and a friendly tuck shop cabin for Kawartha Dairy and other treats near the beach. An easy 2 km paddle connects Emily park to Fee’s Landing and makes for a nice opportunity for a midway point on a day paddle. As always, check the Emily PP website for rules and regulations before planning your visit. 

For a Lindsay culinary connection, Kindred Coffee got us off to a good start each morning, with its friendly staff, fresh decor and well roasted and pulled espresso shots from the brand new bar. Pop in wish the new owners well, and don’t leave without taking something to go: a paper bag filled with blueberry scones with a subtly sweet maple drizzle stood us in good stead later that morning.  As for the other meals, my old Fleming students had been recommending the Pie Eyed Monk for years, so I finally took them up on it.  Woodfired pizza and some fresh pints from the on-site brewery made for a perfect après paddle. We still had work that evening, so instead of tying one on, we took a few to enjoy around the bonfire later at Fee’s Landing.

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