Red Rock Lake ice-free on April 26

The ice on Red Rock Lake went out on April 26. Fenton Lake is ice-free.

There is still lots of snow on the Gargantua and Mijin roads. The roads have to become snow-free and dry before they open for vehicle travel. No estimate yet for an opening date.

When is the best time to do a canoe trip on the Sand River?

Spring, early summer and the fall can be the best times to do a canoe trip on the Sand River because the water levels are adequate for canoeing. In low rainfall summers, the water level on most of the river is not adequate for a good canoe trip. However, in a wet summer, water levels could be high enough to allow for a good trip.

There are no flow gauges on the Sand River, so we estimate water flows/levels by looking at the water levels near the end of the river.

Flow volumes are at a maximum right now (see picture in our April 24, 2008 post below). 

For a regular canoe trip with decent water levels in the shallow sections of the river, the picture below on May 25, 2007, shows a water level that was enough for a good trip. (This picture is of the portion of the Sand River above the bridge at Highway 17. This section of the river has a waterfall and rapids and the canoe route ends upstream of the photo.)

We will try to post pictures of the water levels until the end of June to help you plan your canoe trip. Call the Lake Superior Provincial Park office if you need more help or information. A canoe route description in a free to download PDF is available at lakesuperiorpark.ca

These pictures of the Sand River are also useful for estimating the best time to paddle other rivers that flow into eastern Lake Superior. Rivers like the Pukaskwa River and the Dog River have relatively small watersheds and they are best paddled in the spring or early summer.

The Sand River is in Spring flood

The picture below was taken on April 23. Look how much the flow has increased since April 15! The air temperatures finally warmed up here on the eastern shore of Lake Superior. A near-record amount of snow in the Sand River watershed was just waiting to let go and flow to the big lake.

Waiting for the snow to melt on the Sand River

This photo was taken on April 15 and the water levels are low (if you look closely, you can see fishermen on the left shore).

Look who came by the Red Rock office

Every winter we feed the birds at the Red Rock Park Office. We've had some interesting wildlife coming by this winter. We put out a beaver carcass for the pine marten. Look who else came by.

Agawa Rock Pictographs

We were able to attend the Tourism Keys workshop when it was held in Wawa, Ontario. We had a chance to try creating a short video about the park. Here is one of our projects...

Visit the world famous Agawa Rock Pictographs  in Lake Superior Provincial Park.

The Power of Lake Superior

Here is another of the short videos we created at the Tourism Keys workshop.

Signs of Spring

It is April 9th, but you wouldn't know it to look out the window at the Red Rock Lake Park Office. The robins are perched in a snowstorm and the worms still below 90 cm of snow. Even though winter seems reluctant to leave, many birds are already starting to return. 

Returning birds seen this week are Canada Geese and diving ducks, such as Golden-eye, Ringed-neck and Mergansers. Sandhill Cranes have been seen passing overhead. Some of raptors have also begun to return, including Bald Eagles, Marsh Hawks (Northern Harrier) and Peregrine Falcons.