A favorite combination for summer recreation is to paddle a lake, then hike around it.   In August I launched my kayak and paddled the 3 km loop around the lake.  

After securing the boat, I hiked the 3.5 km trail around the lake, enjoying some of the larger douglas fir trees by the single-track trail. 

There were a few hikers and dog-walkers on the trail and a couple of boats out on the water, but it was a quiet day at McConnell Lake.   

This year we have paddled the lake twice, we snowshoed the area twice, and we have hiked the lake loop, each time enjoying the high country forests.  

This grove leads to a shortcut trail down to the Dogwood Marshes.  

Some video footage was taken during the paddle and the hike, now available on YouTube:

Other paddle-hike locations include Stake Lake, Isobel Lake, Lac le Jeune, Paul Lake, and a number of other lakes that have trails nearby. 

More Information – McConnell Lake Trail