It has become an annual event to go up to McConnell Lake in June and go around the lake three times.    The first two times were in a kayak, once in each direction.   That takes about an hour.    On this day there was one other boat on the lake.    there were two loons with two chicks.    The young loons could now dive so the parents were less worried about paddling too close.    There was a muskrat swimming in the lake, heading to a marshy area.    McConnell is a nice lake to paddle, but it is best go there on a weekday morning to avoid the business of prime times.

After kayaking the lake, I secured the boat and went for a hike around the lake.

Most people do the lake in a clockwise loop and I did too.    This partly avoids the challenge of surprising dogs who get ahead of their owners.   There are a series of viewpoints along the lake trail, including one of the two islets in the lake.

In several areas, there are some large older growth douglas firs in the forest.

Along the east shore is a stretch of lodgepole pines, probably the aftermath of an old forest fire.

The south side of the lake is a north-facing slope with wet areas, seasonal inlet streams, and lush growth.    At the southwestern corner of the lake is a small marshy area with cattails in the shallows.

The sign at the trailhead says the trail is about 3.5 km.    All in the three loops amounted to 8.6 km of paddling and hiking.   McConnell Lake gets a lot of visitors – hikers, dog walkers, kayakers, and fishermen.    the parking area is limited so planning an early arrival or weekday is the recommended plan for paddling and/or hiking McConnell Lake.

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