08/11/2026
Why PADDLE the Bowron when you can PEDAL it? Here is a trip report from Barry who recently completed the circuit with his new Pedal Kayak.
Here are some notes and a picture of my trip around the circuit.
I started the circuit at 8:30 am Monday the 3rd of August 2026. The portage was in good condition to Kibbee and pedaling across was easy. The portage into Indian Point was also in good shape. The weather was good to this point with a little more cloud than sun but still a nice bright day. The portage into Isaac was in good shape except for the last 10 feet. The dock system they are installing was not finished so you had to go thru the deep mud to get the kayak in the water. I had arrived at Isaac Lake by 1:45 pm.
Down the west arm and around the point getting to Moxley #18 was easy. The Kayak pedals along at 4.5 to 5 km per hour without too much effort. The cabin at Moxley needs a little work, the door is not straight and has big gaps both top and bottom. I continued along the circuit to Lynx #20 for the night and arrived there at 6:30 pm. The cabin is in good shape.
I woke up Tuesday morning to a nice sunny day and got on the water by 7:30 am. As I was pedaling down the Isaac I came across a muskrat swimming across the lake going east to west, why he was crossing the lake, I do not know but he kept on going. I arrived at the Chute by 12:30 pm and did the portage around the Chute as the kayak was new to me and the water was fast. The portage to McLeary, both parts were in need of much work, deep holes, off kilter, very hard and slow.
Pedaling McLeary was quick and going down the Cariboo River was straight forward and saw two different canoes that had wrapped themselves around logs that were in the middle of the river. Watch out for the sand bar coming from the Cariboo River into Lanezi, shallow, you can just get out and walk the sand bar to get thru the shallow spots. I got to Turner Creek #34 at 5:30 pm and was going to stop but it was full of canoes and people. I continued on to #35, full, #36, full so on to #37, it was full but it had room for my little tent and the 4 people that were there, welcomed me. So that was the end of long day, 7:50 pm, just over a 12 hour day and 44 km covered.
Wednesday morning was started with clear sky’s and sunshine. On the water by 7:45 am going down the Cariboo River and saw a pair of bald eagles that seemed to be keeping an eye on me for a ways down the river. At the entrance to Sandy Lake I came across moose cow and her calf who had crossed the river and were looking to cross back over again. Sandy Lake was an easy pedal, the sites looked empty, no canoes on the beach and I stopped at site #39 for a quick break and stretch my legs.
The portage into Babcock Lake was in good shape and once I got onto Babcock Lake I saw 3 river otters playing and watched them for more than 10 minutes. The portage into Skoi was quick and in good shape. A quick pedal across Skoi and then the last portage of the trip 400m into Spectacle. Spectacle and Swan were an easy pedal, it did not look busy at Pat’s Point, #46/47.
The Bowron River was a nice pedal and then into the Lake. I had a head wind but the kayak handled the waves very well. I finished the trip getting out at the campsite dock at 6:45 pm, then I had to get up one of the toughest hills of the trip to get into the campsite, the trail condition was good, just steep.
This trip was one of my best, weather wise, equipment wise, the pedal kayak was a real good piece of equipment, a Nova 2 pedal kayak from Fearless Adventures out of Winnipeg and all the people I met along the way. And thanks to Sandy and Dick at Bear River Mercantile for the use of the little cabin and keeping track of me on the circuit via the Spot.
Barry
